Heinrich Heine Selected Poems

Translated by A. S. Kline 2004 All Rights Reserved. This work may be freely reprodu ed! stored! and transmitted! ele troni ally or otherwise! for any non" ommer ial purpose.

Contents #u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )*in +i htenbaum,.......................4 A single fir"tree! lonely!.............................................................................4 #u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )*s liegt der heisse Sommer,.......There lies the heat of summer....................................................................#u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )' h glaub ni ht an den .immel,./ ' don,t believe in .eaven!........................................................................../ #u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )' h kann es ni ht vergessen,......0 ' an,t forget ' had you!..............................................................................0 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )' h weiss ni ht! was soll es bedeuten,. . .1 ' don,t know what it ould mean!...............................................................1 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Als i h! auf der Reise,............................2 3ust by han e on my 4ourney....................................................................2 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Still ist die 5a ht,................................60 The night is so still! the streets are at rest!................................................60 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Sie liebten si h beide,..........................66 They loved ea h other! but neither...........................................................66 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )7ein Kind! wir waren Kinder,.............62 7y hild! we were 4ust hildren!..............................................................62 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )$er Tod! das ist,...................................64 8ur death is in the ool of night!..............................................................64 5eue 9edi hte& 5euer +r:hling& );nterm weissen #aume,.......................6Sitting under white bran hes!...................................................................65eue 9edi hte& 5euer +r:hling& )*s war ein alter K<nig,.........................6/ There was a king! now ageing!.................................................................6/ 5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& )>enn i h! beseligt,..................................60 >hen ',m made happy by lovely kisses!..................................................60 5eue 9edi hte& 'n $er +remde& )' h hatte einst,........................................61 ' had a lovely homeland long ago............................................................61 5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& Roman(en& )*in >eib,..............................62 They loved ea h other with love so deep!................................................62 5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& Roman(en& )$ie ;nbekannte,...................20 7y golden"haired beauty!.........................................................................20 5eue 9edi hte& ?ur 8llea& )Altes Kaminst: k,..........................................22 8utside! white snowflakes are blowing....................................................22 2

Roman(ero& *rstes #u h& .istorien& )$er Asra,.........................................24 *very day so lovely! shining!...................................................................24 Roman(ero& ?weites #u h& %amentationen& 9ed@ htnisfeier,...................25ot a 7ass will be sung then!..................................................................29edi hte 61-A ;nd 61-4& ?um %a(arus& )*inst sah i h viele,...................2/ ' saw a rowd of flowers in bloom!..........................................................2/ Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )7ein Tag war heiter,.........................................20 7y day was happy! fortunate my night....................................................20 Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )7orphine,..........................................................21 There,s a mirror likeness between the two...............................................21 Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )$er S heidende,................................................22 't has died in me! as it must!.....................................................................22 'ndeB of +irst %ines.....................................................................................A0

#u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )*in +i htenbaum, A single fir"tree! lonely! 8n a northern mountain height! Sleeps in a white blanket! $raped in snow and i e. .is dreams are of a palm"tree! >ho! far in eastern lands! >eeps! all alone and silent! Among the burning sands.

#u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )*s liegt der heisse Sommer, There lies the heat of summer 8n your heek,s lovely art& There lies the old of winter >ithin your little heart. That will hange! beloved! The end not as the startC >inter on your heek then! Summer in your heart.

#u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )' h glaub ni ht an den .immel, ' don,t believe in .eaven! >hose pea e the prea her ites& ' only trust your eyes now! They,re my heavenly lights. ' don,t believe in 9od above! >ho gets the prea her,s nod& ' only trust your heart now! And have no other god. ' don,t believe in $evils! 'n hell or hell,s bla k art& ' only trust your eyes now! And your devil,s heart.

#u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )' h kann es ni ht vergessen, ' an,t forget ' had you! $ear woman! sweet to hold! That ' on e possessed you! Dour body! and your soul. ' still want your body! That body young and true! They an bury your soul! love! ',ve soul enough for two. ',ll ut my soul in pie es! And breathe half into you! And hug you& we must be! yes! 8ne soul and body too.

#u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )' h weiss ni ht! was soll es bedeuten, ' don,t know what it ould mean! 8r why ',m so sad& ' find! A fairy"tale! from times unseen! >on,t vanish from my mind. The air is ool and it darkens! And Euiet flows the Rhine& The tops of the mountains sparkle! 'n evening,s after"shine. The loveliest of maidens! She,s wonderful! sits there! .er golden 4ewels glisten! She ombs her golden hair. She ombs it with a omb of gold! And sings a song as well& 'ts strangeness too is old And asts a powerful spell. 't grips the boatman in his boat >ith a wild pang of woe& .e only looks up to the heights! Fan,t see the ro ks below. The waves end by swallowing The boat and its boatman! That,s what! by her singing! The %orelei has done.

#u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Als i h! auf der Reise, 3ust by han e on my 4ourney ' met my beloved,s kin! Sister and father and mother Knew me! and wel omed me in. They asked me how ' was faring! And said! as ' entered the pla e! That ' wasn,t hanged a bit! 4ust A little thin in the fa e. ' asked after aunts and ousins! After many a tiresome one! And asked how their little dog! >ith its soft little bark had done. And ' asked about my darling! 7arried now! by and by& They kindly gave me an answer& 'n hildbed she did lie. And ' offered ongratulations! And murmured lovingly! To give her a thousand greetings >ith all their heart! from me. %ittle sister interrupted& Their dog so sweet and fine! .ad grown Euite large and fier e! And been drowned in the Rhine. That little one,s like my darling! *spe ially when she smiles& The look that made me miserable& She has the selfsame eyes.

#u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Still ist die 5a ht, The night is so still! the streets are at rest! This is the house that my love gra ed! This is the town she,s long sin e left! #ut the house is here in the selfsame pla e. A man,s there too! who stands and stares! And wrings his hands! in violent pain& >hen ' see his look it makes me s ared G The moonlight shows my fa e again. Dou doppel"g@ngerC Dou pallid reatureC >hy do you a t that torment through! %ove! torturing me on this very orner! +or so many nights! those years ' knew.

60

#u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Sie liebten si h beide, They loved ea h other! but neither >ould admit to the other they ould& As enemies! they saw ea h other! And almost died of their love. 'n the end they parted and only Saw ea h other sometimes in dreams& 't was long ago they had died! #ut they s ar ely knew it! it seems.

66

#u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )7ein Kind! wir waren Kinder, 7y hild! we were 4ust hildren! Two happy kids! that,s all& >e rept into the henhouse! And hid there in the straw. >e rowed like the o kerel! And all the passers"by G Thought our& )Fo k"a"doodle"dooC, >as the real o kerel,s ry. >e papered over the boBes >e found around the yard! And we lived there together 'n our elegant house of ard. The neighbour,s at! the old one! She often ame for tea& >e paid her our respe ts! then! ' bowed and you urtseyed. >e asked how she was feeling! Holitely and with are& Sin e then we,ve said the same To many an an ient fur. >e often sat there hatting! Sensibly! as folks do! Fomplaining how mu h better 't was in our day too& .ow love and faith and loyalty .ave vanished from the earth! .ow dear the offee is now! .ow hard to garner wealthCI.

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They,re gone our games as hildren! *verything goes! we see G >ealth and *arth and ages! +aith! love and loyalty.

6A

#u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )$er Tod! das ist, 8ur death is in the ool of night! 8ur life is in the pool of day. The darkness glows! ',m drowning! $ay,s tired me with light. 8ver my head in leaves grown deep! Sings the young nightingale. 't only sings of love there! ' hear it in my sleep.

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5eue 9edi hte& 5euer +r:hling& );nterm weissen #aume, Sitting under white bran hes! Dou an hear the wind blowing! 'n blankets of mist shrouded! See the silent louds flowing. See how the fields and forests Are bare! eBtinguished! down below G >inter round you and inside you! And your heart fro(en so. Suddenly white flakes are falling 8ver you! and rossly Dou think it,s the tree sprinkling A snow flurry a ross you. #ut it,s not a snow flurry! Dou soon see! with 4oyful dread! 't,s fragrant Spring blossom Teasing! veiling you instead. >hat sweet! terrible en hantment! >inter,s hanging into 7ay! Snow is hanging into blossom! Dour heart,s in love again.

6-

5eue 9edi hte& 5euer +r:hling& )*s war ein alter K<nig, There was a king! now ageing! >ith heart of lead! and head so grey. .e took a wife! the old king! A young wife too! men say. There was a handsome pageboy >ith hair of gold! and thoughts so free& .e bore the silks with 4oy That trailed behind the Eueen. $o you know the an ient singingJ 't rings so true& it rings so sweetC #oth had to die! of loving! 8f love that was too deep.

6/

5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& )>enn i h! beseligt, >hen ',m made happy by lovely kisses! %ying so sweetly in your arms, prisons! Dou mustn,t speak of 9ermany to me G ' 4ust an,t stand it G ' have my reasons. 8h! leave me in pea e about 9ermanyC $on,t plague me with endless Euestions! mit .omeland! tribe! and national ustoms G ' have my reasons G ' 4ust an,t stand it. The oak trees are green& blue are the eyes 8f 9erman women& they pine in season And sigh about faith! hope! love! but '! ' 4ust an,t stand it G ' have my reasons.

60

5eue 9edi hte& 'n $er +remde& )' h hatte einst, ' had a lovely homeland long ago. The oak trees seemed So tall there! and the violets blew so sweet. 't was a dream. 't kissed me in 9erman! spoke in 9erman KDou,d s ar e believe .ow good it soundsL the words& ' love you trueC, 't was a dream.

61

5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& Roman(en& )*in >eib, They loved ea h other with love so deep! She was a tramp and he was a thief. >hen he was plying his naughty raft! She lay on the bed and laughed. The days went by in pleasure and 4oy! At night in the sheets she hugged her boy. >hen they dragged him off to 4ail at last! She stood at the window and laughed. .e wrote to her saying& )8 ome to me! ' long for you! so badly! you see! ',m weeping& ',m fading fast G She shook her head and laughed. At siB in the morning they hung him high! At seven they buried him under the sky! #ut as eight o, lo k went past She drank red wine and laughed.

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5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& Roman(en& )$ie ;nbekannte, 7y golden"haired beauty! ',m always sure of seeing! 'n the Tuileries 9ardens! ;nder the hestnut trees. *very day she,s out walking >ith two ugly old ladies G Are they auntsJ 8r dragons! $isguised in women,s lothingJ Fould no one give me a lue then! 8f who she wasJ ' asked my friends! All of them! but all in vain! ' was nearly ill with passion. $aunted by the mousta hes 8f her elderly ompanions! And daunted by my own heart *ven more ompletely! ' never dared to whisper A single sighed word in passing! S ar e dared to show my ardour! #y the passion in my glan es. 8nly today ',ve learnt at last .er name. She,s alled %aura! %ike the beautiful HrovenMale A great poet fell in love with. She,s alled %auraC 5ow ',ve got as +ar as! long ago! Hetrar h did! >ho praised the lovely woman 'n canzones and sonettos.

20

She,s alled %auraC 3ust like Hetrar h! ' an try platoni toying >ith her name,s melodi musi G .e himself a hieved no more.

26

5eue 9edi hte& ?ur 8llea& )Altes Kaminst: k, 8utside! white snowflakes are blowing Through the night& the storm is loud& .ere ',m alone! beside the bla(ing .earth inside! warm! Euietly bowed. ' sit here in my hair! 4ust thinking! .ere beside the ra kling glow! Kettle humming! as its boiling! 7elodies from long ago. And my little at sits near me >arms its paws beside the oals! >hile the flames are fli kering! weaving #rave imaginings in my soul. 5ow many a long forgotten age Rises in twilight air! As if in shining masEuerade! And faded splendour! there. %ovely women with knowing glan es #e koning with sweet mystery! And .arleEuins in pran ing dan es %eaping! laughing merrily. 7arble gods from furthest distan e 9reet me& near them! dreamlike! grow +lowers! from tales! that entran e 'n the moonlight glow. 7any a magi astle! rising! Swims un ertainly to view! #ehind them gleaming knights riding And with them pageboys too.

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And all of this goes flashing by! .urrying on in shadow flight G AhC The kettle,s boiling over! And the little at howls with fright.

2A

Roman(ero& *rstes #u h& .istorien& )$er Asra, *very day so lovely! shining! ;p and down! the Sultan,s daughter >alked at evening by the water! >here the white fountain splashes. *very day the young slave stood #y the water! in the evening! >here the white fountain splashes! *very day grew pale! and paler. Then the prin ess ame one evening! Nui kly speaking to him! softly! )Dour true name G ' wish to know it! Dour true homeland! and your nation., And the slave said! )' am alled 7ahomet! ' am from Demen! And my tribe! it is the Asra! >ho die! when they love.,

24

Roman(ero& ?weites #u h& %amentationen& 9ed@ htnisfeier, 5ot a 7ass will be sung then! 5ot a Kaddish will be said! 5othing sung! and nothing spoken! 8n the day when ' am dead. #ut perhaps another day >hen the weather,s mild! serene! 7y 7atilde will go walking! 'n 7ontmartre! with Hauline. >ith a wreath of immortelles! She,ll ome to dress my grave! And she,ll sigh& )8h! poor man., That moist sadness in her ga(e. A shame ',m so high up! And ',ve no hair for my sweet! 5ot a stool to offer her! Ah! she trips with weary feetC $on,t! my sweet! plump hild! 7ake your way ba k home on foot! #ehind the iron railings! The abs are waiting! look.

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9edi hte 61-A ;nd 61-4& ?um %a(arus& )*inst sah i h viele, ' saw a rowd of flowers in bloom! 8n my way& too la(y of ourse To stir myself and pi k them too! ' rode on by! on my proud horse. 5ow! when ',m wret hed and ',m dying! 5ow! when my grave,s already aired! 8ften in memory! painful! mo king! The s ent of flowers ' s orned is there. 8ne! espe ially! of fiery yellow! A violet! burns inside my head! .ow ' regret ' never fully .ad that sweetheart in her bed. 7y sola e& %ethe,s water an *ven now! not la king in its powers! Refresh the foolish heart of 7an! >ith sweet forgetful midnight hours.

2/

Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )7ein Tag war heiter, 7y day was happy! fortunate my night. 7y Heople loved me when ' stru k the lyre 8f Hoetry. Hassion was my song! and fire& There it kindled many a lovely light. 7y summer,s still abla(e but ',ve already $ragged to the barn the rop ' brought to birth G And now ' have to leave all that the *arth 7ade so dear to me and loved so dearlyC The instrument sinks from my hand. The glass breaks in splinters! that to my lips 8ver onfidently! ' so heerfully pressed. 8h 9odC .ow deeply bitter dying isC .ow sweet and intimate the life of 7an! 'n this sweet! intimate and earthly nest.

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Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )7orphine, There,s a mirror likeness between the two #right! youthfully"shaped figures! though 8ne,s paler than the other and more austere! ' might even say more perfe t! more distinguished! Than the one who,d take me onfidingly in his arms G .ow soft then! loving! his smile! how blessed his glan eC Then it might well have been! that his wreath 8f white poppies tou hed my forehead! at times! $rove the pain from my mind with its strange s ent. #ut all that,s transient. ' an only! now! be well! >hen the other one! so serious and pale! The older brother! lowers his dark tor h. G Sleep is good& and $eath is better! yet Surely never to have been born is best.
5ote& Thanatos! $eath! was the son of 5ight! usually shown as a winged spirit. .e then ompletely resembled his brother .ypnos! Sleep! who lived with him in the ;nderworld. .ypnos put men to sleep by tou hing them with his magi wand or by fanning them with his dark wings. .is son! 7orpheus! was god of dreams.

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Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )$er S heidende, 't has died in me! as it must! *very idle! earthly lust! 7y hatred too of wi kedness! ;tterly now! even the sense! 8f my own! of other men,s distress G All that,s living in me is $eathC The urtain falls! the play is done! And my dear 9erman publi ,s gone! >andering home! and yawning so! Those good folk aren,t stupid though& They,ll dine happily enough tonight! $rink! and sing! and laugh G .e,s right! The noble hero in .omer,s book! >ho said on e that the meanest schmuck! The lowest little Hhilistine there! 'n Stuttgart Kam NeckarL! is happier Than '! son of Heleus! the hero! furled! The shadow prin e in the ;nderworld.
5ote& The referen e is to .omer,s 8dyssey #ook O'&411" 426! 8dysseus, visit to the ;nderworld! to whi h the dying .eine onsiders himself banished! where 8dysseus speaks with the dead A hilles! son of Heleus.

22

'ndeB of +irst %ines #u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )*in +i htenbaum,.......................4 A single fir"tree! lonely!.............................................................................4 #u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )*s liegt der heisse Sommer,.......There lies the heat of summer....................................................................#u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )' h glaub ni ht an den .immel,./ ' don,t believe in .eaven!........................................................................../ #u h $er %ieder& %yris hes 'nterme((o& )' h kann es ni ht vergessen,......0 ' an,t forget ' had you!..............................................................................0 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )' h weiss ni ht! was soll es bedeuten,. . .1 ' don,t know what it ould mean!...............................................................1 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Als i h! auf der Reise,............................2 3ust by han e on my 4ourney....................................................................2 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Still ist die 5a ht,................................60 The night is so still! the streets are at rest!................................................60 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )Sie liebten si h beide,..........................66 They loved ea h other! but neither...........................................................66 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )7ein Kind! wir waren Kinder,.............62 7y hild! we were 4ust hildren!..............................................................62 #u h $er %ieder& $ie .eimkehr& )$er Tod! das ist,...................................64 8ur death is in the ool of night!..............................................................64 5eue 9edi hte& 5euer +r:hling& );nterm weissen #aume,.......................6Sitting under white bran hes!...................................................................65eue 9edi hte& 5euer +r:hling& )*s war ein alter K<nig,.........................6/ There was a king! now ageing!.................................................................6/ 5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& )>enn i h! beseligt,..................................60 >hen ',m made happy by lovely kisses!..................................................60 5eue 9edi hte& 'n $er +remde& )' h hatte einst,........................................61 ' had a lovely homeland long ago............................................................61 5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& Roman(en& )*in >eib,..............................62 They loved ea h other with love so deep!................................................62 5eue 9edi hte& =ers heidene& Roman(en& )$ie ;nbekannte,...................20 7y golden"haired beauty!.........................................................................20 5eue 9edi hte& ?ur 8llea& )Altes Kaminst: k,..........................................22 8utside! white snowflakes are blowing....................................................22 Roman(ero& *rstes #u h& .istorien& )$er Asra,.........................................24 A0

*very day so lovely! shining!...................................................................24 Roman(ero& ?weites #u h& %amentationen& 9ed@ htnisfeier,...................25ot a 7ass will be sung then!..................................................................29edi hte 61-A ;nd 61-4& ?um %a(arus& )*inst sah i h viele,...................2/ ' saw a rowd of flowers in bloom!..........................................................2/ Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )7ein Tag war heiter,.........................................20 7y day was happy! fortunate my night....................................................20 Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )7orphine,..........................................................21 There,s a mirror likeness between the two...............................................21 Aus $er 7atrat(engruft& )$er S heidende,................................................22 't has died in me! as it must!.....................................................................22 'ndeB of +irst %ines.....................................................................................A0

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