The Poems of Goethe Part 32

And wit, a place remain'd; A sixth pair then our circle join'd,

And so that prize was gain'd.

And yet to make us truly blest,

One miss'd we, and full sore; A true and tender couple came,--

We needed them no more.

The social banquet now goes on,

Unchequer'd by alloy; The sacred double-numbers then

Let us at once enjoy!

1802.

----- THE SPRING ORACLE.

OH prophetic bird so bright, Blossom-songster, cuckoo bight!

In the fairest time of year, Dearest bird, oh! deign to hear What a youthful pair would pray, Do thou call, if hope they may: Thy cuck-oo, thy cuck-oo.

Ever more cuck-oo, cuck-oo!

Hearest thou? A loving pair Fain would to the altar fare; Yes! a pair in happy youth, Full of virtue, full of truth.

Is the hour not fix'd by fate?

Say, how long must they still wait?

Hark! cuck-oo! hark! cuck-oo!

Silent yet! for shame, cuck-oo!

'Tis not our fault, certainly!

Only two years patient be!

But if we ourselves please here, Will pa-pa-papas appear?

Know that thou'lt more kindness do us, More thou'lt prophesy unto us.

One! cuck-oo! Two! cuck-oo!

Ever, ever, cuck-oo, cuck-oo, coo!

If we've calculated clearly, We have half a dozen nearly.

If good promises we'll give, Wilt thou say how long we'II live?

Truly, we'll confess to thee, We'd prolong it willingly.

Coo cuck-oo, coo cuck-oo, Coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo!

Life is one continued feast-- (If we keep no score, at least).

If now we together dwell, Will true love remain as well?

For if that should e'er decay, Happiness would pa.s.s away.

Coo cuck-oo, coo cuck-oo, Coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo, coo!

1803.*

(Gracefully in infinitum.) ----- THE HAPPY COUPLE.

AFTER these vernal rains

That we so warmly sought, Dear wife, see how our plains

With blessings sweet are fraught!

We cast our distant gaze

Far in the misty blue; Here gentle love still strays,

Here dwells still rapture true.

Thou seest whither go

Yon pair of pigeons white, Where swelling violets blow

Round sunny foliage bright.

'Twas there we gather'd first

A nosegay as we roved; There into flame first burst

The pa.s.sion that we proved.

Yet when, with plighted troth,

The priest beheld us fare Home from the altar both,

With many a youthful pair,-- Then other moons had birth,

And many a beauteous sun, Then we had gain'd the earth

Whereon life's race to run.

A hundred thousand fold

The mighty bond was seal'd; In woods, on mountains cold,

In bushes, in the field, Within the wall, in caves,

And on the craggy height, And love, e'en o'er the waves,

Bore in his tube the light.

Contented we remain'd,

We deem'd ourselves a pair; 'Twas otherwise ordain'd,

For, lo! a third was there; A fourth, fifth, sixth appear'd,

And sat around our board; And now the plants we've rear'd