Love

She Cannot End

by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749–1832

Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring (1853) · From Sonnets

Love

WHEN unto thee I sent the page all white,
Instead of first thereon inscribing aught,

The space thou doubtless filledst up in sport.
And sent it me, to make my joy grow bright.
As soon as the blue cover met my sight,
As well becomes a woman, quick as thought

I tore it open, leaving hidden nought,
And read the well-known words of pure delight:
MY ONLY BEING! DEAREST HEART! SWEET CHILD!
How kindly thou my yearning then didst still
With gentle words, enthralling me to thee.
In truth methought I read thy whispers mild
Wherewith thou lovingly my soul didst fill,
E'en to myself for aye ennobling me.

MLA

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. “She Cannot End.” Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/goethe/190/.

Chicago

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von. “She Cannot End.” Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/goethe/190/.

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