Living
Ill-Luck
Translated by Frank C. Nicholson (1907) · From Old German Love Songs (1907)
Living
Ill-luck is mine, and that hath often made me grieve:
Thus, ere I drunk a drop, a lake I had to leave,
From which a cool stream took its course
And flowed along with mighty force.
Thereat full many slaked their thirst and for the draught felt better.
How oft soe'er I dipped my bowl, its lip grew never wetter!
✦ ✦ ✦
Codex Note
Spervogel II
Cite this poem
MLA
Spervogel. “Ill-Luck.” Translated by Frank C. Nicholson. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/spervogel/5/.
Chicago
Spervogel. “Ill-Luck.” Translated by Frank C. Nicholson. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/spervogel/5/.
Read this poem with the Codex →