Mythology & Folklore

Psyche

by Heinrich Heine 1797–1856

Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring (1908) · From New Poems: Romances

Mythology & Folklore

In her hand the little lamp, and
Mighty passion in her breast,
Psyche creepeth to the couch where
Her dear sleeper takes his rest.

How she blushes, how she trembles,
When his beauty she descries!
He, the God of love, unveil’d thus,
Soon awakes and quickly flies.

Eighteen hundred years’ repentance!
And the poor thing nearly died!
Psyche fasts and whips herself still,
For she Amor naked spied.

MLA

Heine, Heinrich. “Psyche.” Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/heine/266/.

Chicago

Heine, Heinrich. “Psyche.” Translated by Edgar Alfred Bowring. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/heine/266/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Heinrich Heine