RIVER! my river in the young sunshine! | |
| Oh, clasp afresh in thine embrace | |
| This longing, burning frame of mine, | |
| And kiss my breast, and kiss my face! | |
| So—there!—Ha, ha!—already in thine arms! | 5 |
| I feel thy love—I shout—I shiver; | |
| But thou outlaughest loud a flouting song, proud river, | |
| And now again my bosom warms! | |
| |
| The droplets of the golden sunlight glide | |
| Over and off me, sparkling, as I swim | 10 |
| Hither and thither down thy mellow tide, | |
| Or loll amid its crypts with outstretched limb; | |
| I fling abroad my arms, and lo! | |
| Thy wanton waves curl slyly round me; | |
| But ere their loose chains have well bound me, | 15 |
| Again they burst away and let me go! | |
| |
| O sun-loved river! wherefore dost thou hum, | |
| Hum, hum alway, thy strange, deep, mystic song | |
| Unto the rocks and strands?—for they are dumb, | |
| And answer nothing as thou flowest along. | 20 |
| Why singest so all hours of night and day? | |
| Ah, river! my best river! thou, I guess, art seeking | |
| Some land where souls have still the gift of speaking | |
| With nature in her own old wondrous way! | |
| |
| Lo! highest heaven looms far below me here; | 25 |
| I see it in thy waters, as they roll, | |
| So beautiful, so blue, so clear, | |
| ’T would seem, O river mine, to be thy very soul! | |
| Oh, could I hence dive down to such a sky, | |
| Might I but bathe my spirit in that glory, | 30 |
| So far outshining all in ancient fairy story, | |
| I would indeed have joy to die! | |
| |
| What on cold earth is deep as thou? Is aught? | |
| Love is as deep, love only is as deep: | |
| Love lavisheth all, yet loseth, lacketh naught; | 35 |
| Like thee, too, love can neither pause nor sleep. | |
| Roll on, thou loving river, thou! Lift up | |
| Thy waves, those eyes bright with a riotous laughing! | |
| Thou makest me immortal! I am quaffing | |
| The wine of rapture from no earthly cup! | 40 |
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| At last thou bearest me, with soothing tone, | |
| Back to thy bank of rosy flowers: | |
| Thanks, then, and fare thee well! Enjoy thy bliss alone! | |
| And through the year’s melodious hours | |
| Echo forever from thy bosom broad | 45 |
| All glorious tales that sun and moon be telling: | |
| And woo down to their soundless fountain dwelling | |
| The holy stars of God! | |
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