Steen Steensen Blicher (1782-1848) - perhaps his best-known poem

 

Prelude

The time approaches for me to part!

                  Now winter’s voice is compelling;

A bird of passage, I know my heart

                  In other climes has its dwelling.

I have long known that I cannot stay;

                  Though this is no cause for grieving,

So free from care as I wend my way

                  I sing at times before leaving.

I should at times have perhaps sung more –

                  Or should perhaps have sung better;

But dark days crowded oft to the fore,

                  And gales my feathers did scatter.

In God’s fair world I would fain have tried

                  To spread my wings out in freedom;

But I’m imprisoned on every side

                  And can’t escape from my thralldom.

From lofty skies would I fain have tried

                  To blithely sing and not fretted;

But for my shelter and food must bide

                  A jailbird poor and indebted.

At times I make the consoling choice

                  To let my gaze outward wander:

And sometimes send my poor mournful voice

                  Through prison bars yearning yonder.

Then listen, traveller, to this song;

                  To pass this way please endeavour!

It might, God knows, not last very long

                  Before this voice fades for ever.

This coming evening, I can foretell,

                  May see my prison bars breaking;

For I will sing now a fond farewell,

                  Perhaps my final leave-taking.

For the original text, go to here. Set to music twice, by Thomas Laub and Oluf Ring. The latter is perhaps the better known. A fine modern recording by Alberte Winding and Benjamin Koppel on their CD Lyse Nætter from 2001.