Love

Sonnet 39

by Jan Kollár 1793–1852

Translated by John Bowring (1832) · From Cheskian Anthology (1832)

Love

When the moon o'er the mountain-branches rises;
With rays as rainbows brilliant, lo! it seems
As if thy smile upon its pale face beams
With more than lunar light: for love disguises
All objects, and in passionate fondness I
Pour'd out my heart, and wildly held dicourse
With that supernal queen, until the hoarse
Laugh of the mountains shook the starry sky.
Then to night's spectre-spirits did I cry
Impatient—and they tarried in their course,
And bid the gentle stars of heaven reply:
"We have sent forth a sister from on high,
Clad all in love and light and beauty—she,
Slawa! was sent to minister to thee."

MLA

Kollár, Jan. “Sonnet 39.” Translated by John Bowring. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/kollar/12/.

Chicago

Kollár, Jan. “Sonnet 39.” Translated by John Bowring. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/kollar/12/.

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