Part 8 (1/2)
O winter, O white winter, wert thou gone, No more within the wilds were I alone, Leaping with bent bow over stock and stone!
No more alone my love the lamp should burn, Watching the weary spindle twist and turn, Or o'er the web hold back her tears and yearn: O winter, O white winter, wert thou gone!
THE MAIDENS
Sweet thoughts fly swiftlier than the drifting snow, And with the twisting threads sweet longings grow, And o'er the web sweet pictures come and go, For no white winter are we long alone.
THE YOUTHS
O stream so changed, what hast thou done to me, That I thy glittering ford no more can see Wreathing with white her fair feet lovingly?
See, in the rain she stands, and, looking down With frightened eyes upon thy whirlpools brown, Drops to her feet again her girded gown.
O hurrying turbid stream, what hast thou done?
THE MAIDENS
The clouds lift, telling of a happier day When through the thin stream I shall take my way, Girt round with gold, and garlanded with may, What rus.h.i.+ng stream can keep us long alone?
THE YOUTHS
O burning Sun, O master of unrest, Why must we, toiling, cast away the best, Now, when the bird sleeps by her empty nest?
See, with my garland lying at her feet, In lonely labour stands mine own, my sweet, Above the quern half-filled with half-ground wheat.
O red taskmaster, that thy flames were done!
THE MAIDENS
O love, to-night across the half-shorn plain Shall I not go to meet the yellow wain, A look of love at end of toil to gain?
What flaming sun can keep us long alone?
THE YOUTHS
To-morrow, said I, is grape gathering o'er; To-morrow, and our loves are twinned no more.
To-morrow came, to bring us woe and war.
What have I done, that I should stand with these Hearkening the dread shouts borne upon the breeze, While she, far off, sits weeping 'neath her trees?
Alas, O kings, what is it ye have done?
THE MAIDENS
Come, love, delay not; come, and slay my dread!
Already is the banquet table spread; In the cool chamber flower-strewn is my bed: Come, love, what king shall keep us long alone?
THE YOUTHS
O city, city, open thou thy gate!