A band such as at even And wafts again to-morrow From France forth one had wandered, From the Rhone's verdant strand; Wine hills and golden meadows He called his fatherland. As home another lauded Where that eternal light-house, Vesuvius, e'er glows, There did another's cradle, The oaks of German forests, "Then fill to home a bumper! "Take each his glass in hand! "Not all men love a maiden, "But all a fatherland." And each one drained the goblet With glow-o'ermantled face, One only gazed in silence Far o'er the ocean's space. Ein Mann war's aus Venedig, ,Mein Vaterland, o Heimath, Du bist nur Wasser und Stein! ,,Einst glomm der Freiheit Sonne, Da lebt' und sprach der Stein, Und tönte, wie Memnon's Säule, Ins Morgenroth hinein! ,,Da wogte glühend das Wasser, Mit Purpur gürtend die Welt, Und Regenbogen schleudernd Hinauf ins Himmelszelt! Warum bist du erloschen, Er schwieg und starrte lange Jetzt, wie zum Todtenopfer, It was a son of Venice, He spake with muttered tone, "My fatherland, what art thou "But water and but stone? "Once glowed the sun of freedom, "The stone then lived and spake, "And sang like Memnon's pillar, "When morning's beams awake. "Then foamed the glowing waters, "Their purple girt the world, 'And, surging high, their rainbow, "To Heaven's vault they hurled. "Thou sunny ray of beauty, He ceased, and watched in silence Then, as upon an altar, He poured it in the sea, Like sparkling tears around him DER LETZTE DICHTER. Wann werdet ihr Poeten Des Singens einmal müd'? Ist nicht schon längst geleeret Gepflückt nicht alle Blumen, So lang' der Sonnenwagen So lang' der Himmel Stürme So lang nach Ungewittern So lang' die Nacht den Äther So lang' der Mond noch leuchtet, THE LAST POET. "Ye poets, will your voices "Of singing never tire? "When will your lays be ended, "Ye everlasting quire? "Is not as yet exhausted As long as Phoebus' horses As long as in the heavens As long as sun and showers As long as in the ether As long as one heart feeleth, |