Love

The Lotus-flower doth languish

by Heinrich Heine 1797–1856

Translated by James Thomson (B.V.) (1880) · From Attempts at Translation from Heine (1880)

Love

The Lotus-flower doth languish
Beneath the sun's fierce light ;
With drooping head she waiteth
All dreamily for night.

The Moon is her true lover,''
He wakes her with his glance :
To him she unveils gladly
Her gentle countenance.

She blooms and glows and brightens,
Intent on him above ;
Exhaling, weeping, trembling,
With ever-yearning love.

✦ ✦ ✦

Thomson's footnote: in the German, the Moon (Der Mond) is masculine and the Sun (Die Sonne) feminine. Untitled in the volume; the first line is used as the title.

MLA

Heine, Heinrich. “The Lotus-flower doth languish.” Translated by James Thomson (B.V.). Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/heine/588/.

Chicago

Heine, Heinrich. “The Lotus-flower doth languish.” Translated by James Thomson (B.V.). Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/heine/588/.

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