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Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Dedication - The Poems Of Goeth
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The morn arrived; his footstep quickly scared

The gentle sleep that round my senses clung,
And I, awak`ning, from my cottage fared,

And up the mountain side with light heart sprung;
At every step I felt my gaze ensnared

By new-born flow`rs that full of dew-drops hung;
The youthful day awoke with ecstacy,
And all things quicken`d were, to quicken me.

And as I mounted, from the valley rose

A streaky mist, that upward slowly spread,
Then bent, as though my form it would enclose,

Then, as on pinions, soar`d above my head:
My gaze could now on no fair view repose,

in mournful veil conceal`d, the world seem`d dead;
The clouds soon closed around me, as a tomb,
And I was left alone in twilight gloom.

At once the sun his lustre seem`d to pour,

And through the mist was seen a radiant light;
Here sank it gently to the ground once more,

There parted it, and climb`d o`er wood and height.
How did I yearn to greet him as of yore,

After the darkness waxing doubly bright!
The airy conflict ofttimes was renew`d,
Then blinded by a dazzling glow I stood.

Ere long an inward impulse prompted me

A hasty glance with boldness round to throw;
At first mine eyes had scarcely strength to see,

For all around appear`d to burn and glow.
Then saw I, on the clouds borne gracefully,

A godlike woman hov`ring to and fro.
In life I ne`er had seen a form so fair—
She gazed at me, and still she hover`d there.

"Dost thou not know me?" were the words she said

In tones where love and faith were sweetly bound;
"Knowest thou not Her who oftentimes hath shed

The purest balsam in each earthly wound?
Thou knows`t me well; thy panting heart I led

To join me in a bond with rapture crown`d.
Did I not see thee, when a stripling, yearning
To welcome me with tears, heartfelt and burning?"

"Yes!" I exclaim`d, whilst, overcome with joy,

I sank to earth; "I long have worshipp`d thee;
Thou gav`st me rest, when passions rack`d the boy,

Pervading ev`ry limb unceasingly;
Thy heav`nly pinions thou didst then employ

The scorching sunbeams to ward off from me.
From thee alone Earth`s fairest gifts I gain`d,
Through thee alone, true bliss can be obtain`d.

"Thy name I know not; yet I hear thee nam`d

By many a one who boasts thee as his own;
Each eye believes that tow`rd thy form `tis aim`d,

Yet to most eyes thy rays are anguish-sown.
Ah! whilst I err`d, full many a friend I claim`d,

Now that I know thee, I am left alone;
With but myself can I my rapture share,
I needs must veil and hide thy radiance fair.

She smiled, and answering said: "Thou see`st how wise,

How prudent `twas but little to unveil!
Scarce from the clumsiest cheat are clear`d thine eyes,

Scarce hast thou strength thy childish bars to scale,
When thou dost rank thee `mongst the deities,

And so man`s duties to perform would`st fail!
How dost thou differ from all other men?
Live with the world in peace, and know thee then!"

"Oh, pardon me," I cried, "I meant it well:

Not vainly did`st thou bless mine eyes with light;
For in my blood glad aspirations swell,

The value of thy gifts I know aright!
Those treasures in my breast for others dwell,

The buried pound no more I`ll hide from sight.
Why did I seek the road so anxiously,
If hidden from my brethren `twere to be?"

And as I answer`d, tow`rd me turn`d her face,

With kindly sympathy, that god-like one;
Within her eye full plainly could I trace

What I had fail`d in, and what rightly done.
She smiled, and cured me with that smile`s sweet grace,

To new-born joys my spirit soar`d anon;
With inward confidence I now could dare
To draw yet closer, and observe her there.

Through the light cloud she then stretch`d forth her hand,

As if to bid the streaky vapour fly:
At once it seemed to yield to her command,

Contracted, and no mist then met mine eye.
My glance once more survey`d the smiling land,

Unclouded and serene appear`d the sky.
Nought but a veil of purest white she held,
And round her in a thousand folds it swell`d.

"I know thee, and I know thy wav`ring will.

I know the good that lives and glows in thee!"—
Thus spake she, and methinks I hear her still—

"The prize long destined, now receive from me;
That blest one will be safe from ev`ry ill,

Who takes this gift with soul of purity,—"
The veil of Minstrelsy from Truth`s own hand,
Of sunlight and of morn`s sweet fragrance plann`d.

"And when thou and thy friends at fierce noon-day

Are parched with heat, straight cast it in the air!
Then Zephyr`s cooling breath will round you play,

Distilling balm and flowers` sweet incense there;
The tones of earthly woe will die away,

The grave become a bed of clouds so fair,
To sing to rest life`s billows will be seen,
The day be lovely, and the night serene."—

Come, then, my friends! and whensoe`er ye find

Upon your way increase life`s heavy load;
If by fresh-waken`d blessings flowers are twin`d

Around your path, and golden fruits bestow`d,
We`ll seek the coming day with joyous mind!

Thus blest, we`ll live, thus wander on our road
And when our grandsons sorrow o`er our tomb,
Our love, to glad their bosoms, still shall bloom.
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