From yonder bird a lesson borrow : Encaged, bereft of both his eyes, Yet lives he on-lives on in sorrow, And hark, how sweet a song he tries! Now-wouldst thou treat him more unkindly-- He lives, he hops his prison blindly, And so 'twill fare with me, thy lover; Too weak upon my wings to hover, And so some ditty broken-hearted I'll sing, to serve my turn instead Of pinions clipped and light departed: I shall survive-be comforted! 7. G. SEIDL.-Abschied. THE HEART. Two chambers hath the heart; Within them Dwell Joy and Grief apart. When Joy wakes in her own, In the other Grief slumbers on alone. O Joy, precaution take! Speak gently, Lest Grief perchance should wake! HERM. NEUMANN.-Das Herz. PRAYER DURING BATTLE. FATHER, I call on thee! Closer the cannon-clouds gather and thicken, Leaping athwart them the red flashes quicken; Ruler of hosts, I call on thee! Almighty, lead thou me! Almighty, lead thou me! To death, or victory-thine to decide it Thine the arbitrament, mine to abide it; Whither thou willest, lead thou me! God, I acknowledge thee! God, I acknowledge thee! As in the murmur through summer-woods stealing, So in the thunder through battle-fields pealing, I can alike acknowledge thee, Father, look down on me! Father, look down on me! Into thy hand my soul I deliver; Thou canst retake it, thou art the giver : Father, I honour thee! Father, I honour thee! This is no struggle for plunder and booty; Drawn are our swords at the summons of duty; Victor, or slain, I honour thee. My God, accept thou me ! My God, accept thou me! When Death shall hail me with thunder-greeting, When from my bosom the life is fleeting, Then, O my God, accept thou me! Father, I call on thee ! KÖRNER.-Gebet während der Schlacht 'Killed, fighting for his country, near Gadebusch, August 26, 1813, in his 22nd year. |