****

Sleepless passed the hours of night.

Now the penetrating early light

Asks, "Who is it, what winsome thought

Has your youthful fancy caught?

Robbed the sleep from your eyes?
Turned your breathing into sighs?

For whose sake do you toss and turn?

For whose love do you long and burn?"

My eyes are athirst;

My heart will burst,

For there his flute plays, ah, just that plays

With all its whims and wiles and ways.

No speech it is, but in my ear I hear

O what that be, no one knows, I fear.

In this broken heart of woe,

In these eyes, tear-aglow,

Swings his shadow, o just his shadow

Swings - all day, all night, in endless flow.

****

When bells on anklets ring a-tinkle,

My heart leaps up: I know, I know,

The scent that makes the air a-tingle,

The shades that sudden come aglow!

The ground below her feet a-shrinking,

Pitcher and golden bracelet clinking....

"Who are you, o where do you go?"

Asked all the flowers, in joyous flow.

"Which garden formed you, wondrous fair?"

Roguish winds boldly caress your hair.

The stars are twinkling in delight;

The waters are silver, glimmering bright!

****

Tell me, friends, what really is worry?

Or, what is it truly like to be sorry?

You all, who talk day and night

So much of "love", and love's might:

Tell me, then, what really is love?

Is it the cooing of a dove

Or is it just painful?

For how is it gainful

To heave sighs and shed tears

Down pale cheeks, with secret fears?

Why then, isn't it too clever

For folks to fall in love, never?

In my eyes everything is lovely;

All is fresh, lucid and sprightly!

Gardens dark green, skies deep blue,

Moonlight silvery, soft blossoms true -

All these with mine own nature ring!

For they can only laugh, and only sing!

In simple mirth and play they wish to die,

- Cease completely without a sigh -

Never feeling pain, never shedding tears

Never knowing such agony that failed effort bears.

The gentle flower laughingly blows away.

The melting moonbeams laughingly give sway,

Along with their starry friends, who laughing

Laughing, are now gracefully vanishing,

Giving precedence to the ocean of light

Rising from the fiery orb of might.

Who ever is so happy as I ?

Do you, my friends, pray come nigh!

Happy songs from a happy heart

Will I sing, so we may never part!

If with tears you must each day persist -

For one day then, on laughter let's insist

And forget things bitter, so we all may sing

Such songs as true joy alone can bring....

****

I know you, I know you, sugar of distant land!

Oceans wide kept us apart, yet see here I stand!

I saw your image in early autumnal light;

I saw it in my heart every honeyed night.

Straining ears heavenward, I hearkened to your song.

My heart is yours, o you for whom I waited so long!

Travelling the world o'er, I have come to your land:

A guest at your door, o you who before me stand!