Nature

Stars by the hundreds dot the sky

by Vítězslav Hálek 1835–1874

Translated by Joseph Štýbr (1920) · From Evening Songs (Večerní písně), trans. Štýbr (1920)

Nature

Stars by the hundreds dot the sky
With sister Moon at leisure,
And God and angels view the world
From heaven’s height with pleasure.

A smiling angel’s coming down
To earth as heaven’s vision—
Fair as the fragrant breath of spring,
And love is his sweet mission.

Wherever he just passes by
All’s stricken with sweet passion,
And nightingales and fair white doves
All sing with animation.

And he whom his white wing does touch
Is transformed all over,
And something sweet enters his breast
That human words can’t cover.

MLA

Hálek, Vítězslav. “Stars by the hundreds dot the sky.” Translated by Joseph Štýbr. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/halek/4/.

Chicago

Hálek, Vítězslav. “Stars by the hundreds dot the sky.” Translated by Joseph Štýbr. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/halek/4/.

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