Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume V. Nature. 1904. | | | | III. The Seasons | | Harvest Song | | Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty (1748–1776) |
| | From the German by Charles Timothy Brooks |
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SICKLES sound; | |
| On the ground | |
| Fast the ripe ears fall; | |
| Every maiden’s bonnet | |
| Has blue blossoms on it: | 5 |
| Joy is over all. | |
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| Sickles ring, | |
| Maidens sing | |
| To the sickle’s sound; | |
| Till the moon is beaming, | 10 |
| And the stubble gleaming, | |
| Harvest songs go round. | |
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| All are springing, | |
| All are singing, | |
| Every lisping thing, | 15 |
| Man and master meet, | |
| From one dish they eat; | |
| Each is now a king. | |
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| Hans and Michael | |
| Whet the sickle, | 20 |
| Piping merrily. | |
| Now they mow; each maiden | |
| Soon with sheaves is laden, | |
| Busy as a bee. | |
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| Now the blisses, | 25 |
| And the kisses! | |
| Now the wit doth flow | |
| Till the beer is out; | |
| Then, with song and shout, | |
| Home they go, yo ho! | 30 | | |
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