Life’s Journey

What laughter and singing! The sun’s rays crossing
Each other gleam brightly; the billows are tossing
The joyous bark, and there I reclined
With friends beloved and lightsome mind.

The bark was presently wreck’d and shatter’d,
My friends were poor swimmers, and soon were scatter’d,
And all were drown’d, in our fatherland;
I was thrown by the storm on the Seine’s far strand.

Another ship I now ascended,
My journey by new companions attended;
By strange waves toss’d and rock’d, I depart--
How far my home! how heavy my heart!

Once more arises that singing and laughter!
The wind pipes loud, the planks crack soon after--
In heaven is quench’d the last last star--
How heavy my heart! My home how far!