Death & Dying
Why Dost Thou Look into My Room?
Translated by William N. Loew (1912) · From Cypress Leaves from the Grave of Dear Ethel
Why dost thou look into my room?
Pale, prying moon?
The world has changed with me of late
Thou'lt see it soon.
When formerly thy glances lost
Their way to me:
An all consuming love of life
Thou could'st there see.
A deadly war saw'st going on
Twixt joy and pain,
But thou could'st never note that woe
Had my joy slain.
But things have changed. Dost thou now look
Into my face:
Thou could'st thereon, as in a glass,
Thy pallor trace.
I'm cold and drear as is the place
Which to me gave
This mood: I have been weeping o'er
•My sweetheart's grave.
Cite this poem
MLA
Petőfi, Sándor. “Why Dost Thou Look into My Room?” Translated by William N. Loew. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/petofi/10/.
Chicago
Petőfi, Sándor. “Why Dost Thou Look into My Room?” Translated by William N. Loew. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/petofi/10/.
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