English

We happy hearts for nothing are
If not for ringing praises;
A song for Summer, near and far,
From hilltop down to daisies!

We wind her hair with leaves and flowers,
In places green and shady;
We are the happy summer hours,
And Summer is our Lady.

Come, sing with us! the while we run
Is Summer going, going.
Some say she loves the roving sun;
There is no knowing, knowing.

Dear Mr. Noman, does it ever strike you,
The more we see of you, the less we like you?

" DEAR me! what signifies a pin,
Wedged in a rotten board?
I'm certain that I won't begin,
At ten years old, to hoard!
I never will be called a miser;
That I'm determined," said Eliza.

So onward tripped the little maid,
And left the pin behind,
Which very snug and quiet laid,
To its hard fate resigned;
Nor did she think (a careless chit)
'Twas worth her while to stop for it.

Next day a party was to ride
To see an air balloon;
And all the company beside,
Were dressed and ready soon:

Dear Mamma, if you just could be
A tiny little girl like me,
And I your mamma, you would see
How nice I'd be to you.
I'd always let you have your way;
I'd never frown at you and say,
"You are behaving ill today,
Such conduct will not do."

I'd always give you a jelly-cake
For breakfast, and I 'd never shake
My head, and say, "You must not take
So very large a slice."
I'd never say, "My dear, I trust
You will not make me say you must
Eat up your oatmeal"; or "The crust
You'll find, is very nice."

Dear maiden, as each morning
Thy house I saunter by,
It glads me when at the window
Thy winsome face I spy.

My face with a silent question
Thy brown eyes gravely scan:
" Who art thou, and what ails thee,
Thou strange sick-looking man? "

I am a German Poet,
In German land well known;
When the best names are spoken,
They also speak my own.

And what ails me, dear maiden,
Makes many a German groan;
When the worst woes are spoken,
They also speak my own.

" Dear love, dost thou sleep fairly?
Alas, there wakes us early
A pretty bird that flew but now
And perched aloft upon the linden-bough. "
" Full softly I was sleeping,
Child, till I heard thee weeping.
Sweet must have its sorrow still;
But all thou bid'st me, sweetheart, I'll fulfill. "
The lady fell a-moaning:
" Thou'lt ride and leave me lonely.
And when wilt thou come back to me?
Alas, thou takest all my joy with thee! "

(A Song.)

Dear Lela is my joy and crown,
My brightest gem and sunshine, too,
Her sweetness often kills a frown
And plants a pleasure where it grew;
Her voice my soul with rapture fills,
Her sparkling eye my being thrills.

Chorus.

Priceless, darling Lela,
Thou alone my heart can cheer;
O, my precious Lela,

Dear kindly Sergeant Krupke,
You gotta understand,
It's just our bringin' up-ke
That gets us out of hand.
Our mothers all are junkies,
Our fathers all are drunks.
Golly Moses, natcherly we're punks!

Gee, Officer Krupke, we're very upset;
We never had the love that ev'ry child oughta get.
We ain't no delinquents, we're misunderstood.
Deep down inside us there is good.
There is good, there is good, there is untapped good,
Like inside, the worst of us is good!

Dear kindly Judge, your Honor,

The house felt like the opera,
the audience in their seats, hushed, ready,
but the cast not yet arrived.

And if I said anything
to try to appease the anxious air, my words
would hang alone like the single chandelier

waiting to dim the auditorium, but still
too huge, too prominent, too bright, its light
announcing only itself, bringing more

emptiness into the emptiness.











Used by permission.

Daughter of the ancient Eve,
We know the gifts ye gave — and give.
Who knows the gifts which you shall give,
Daughter of the newer Eve?
You, if my soul be augur, you
Shall — O what shall you not, Sweet, do?
The celestial traitress play,
And all mankind to bliss betray;
With sacrosanct cajoleries
And starry treachery of your eyes,
Tempt us back to Paradise!
Make heavenly trespass; — ay, press in
Where faint the fledge-foot seraphin,
Blest fool! Be ensign of our wars,
And shame us all to warriors!