Mihai Eminescu ”The Evening Star of the Romanian poetry”

THE LAKE

Water lilies load all over  The blue lake amid the woods,  That imparts, while in white circles  Startling, to a boat its moods. 

And along the strands I'm passing  Listening, waiting, in unrest,  That she from the reeds may issue  And fall, gently, on my breast; 

That we may jump in the little  Boat, while water's voices whelm  All our feelings; that enchanted  I may drop my oars and helm; 

That all charmed we may be floating  While moon's kindly light surrounds  Us, winds cause the reeds to rustle  And the waving water sounds. 

To The StarTo the star up in ethereal heightsThere's a path so far to stray,Thousands of years might have its lightsBeen wandering 'til today.

Maybe it perished long agoOn its way down through blue space,This moment yet you come to knowIts shine upon your face.

The icon, gently soaring high,Of that star now long since dead:Could never spot it while alive,Now gone - we see it yet.

Alike when our desire grown oldAnd lost in deepest night,The light of faded love now coldStill reaches our sight.

O, mother... O mother, darling mother, lost in time's formless hazeAmidst the leaves' sweet rustle you call my name always;Amidst their fluttering murmur above your sacred grave I hear you softly whisper whenever the branches wave;While over your tomb the willows their autumn raiment heap...Forever wave the branches and you forever sleep. When l shall die, beloved, do not beside me mourn,But break a branch of blossom that does the lime adorn,And take it very softly, and plant it at my head;I'll feel its shadow growing as on the soil it's shed;And watered by the tears that you for sorrow weep...Forever grow that shadow, and l for ever sleep.

Guardian angelWhen my soul lay awake late last night, did it seemThat I saw my good angel come down as in a dream,Engirdled with moonlight and silver star gleam,And hover above me with wings wide outspread.But you, when he spied, in your snowy white dress,O child of sweet wonder, and secret caress,Quite awed and astonished my guardian fled.

Good child, are you demon that just at one glanceOf your eyes through their lashes thrown softly askanceMy angel and friend left his long vigilance?O guardian angel, come back, do not fleeFor this girl. . . ! But no, let your long lashes fall,That your pale lovely features again I recall,For you... you are he.

Why do you wail, o forest trees? "Why do you wail o forest trees,Forest, without rain or breeze,Your branches ill at ease? ""How indeed should I not wailWhen the hours of Sumner fail !Nights grow longer, days get short,On my branches few leaves caught,And the winds with bitter swordDrive my choristers abroad;How indeed should I not groanWhen my singing birds have flown,And across the frozen skyFlocks of swallows hurry by,And with them my fancies flyLeaving me alone to sigh;

DROWSY BIRDS

Drowsy birds at even gliding,Round about their nests alight,In among the branches hiding...Dear, good night !

Silence through the forest creeping,Lullaby the river sighs;In the garden flowers sleeping...Shut your eyes !

Glides the swan among the rushesTo its rest where moon light gleams,And the angels whisper hushes...Peaceful dreams !

Over the sky stars without number,On the earth a silver light;All is harmony and slumber...Dear, good night !