Thor Lange: 'Lenaustemninger'

Lenaustemninger

 

I 

Bleg, stille Falmen alle Vegne;

lidt Aftenvind for Skoven kæler,

og smertefrit med Kys den stjæler

de Blade bort, som lydløst segne.

 

Tak, Foraarstid, Tak, Ungdomsalder,

nok har Du elsket, leet og sunget,

Farvel da! Blidt af Søvn betvunget

knap hørligt sagte Løvet falder.

 

Et Pust i Grenegittret hvisler,

hvor synligt nu de Reder hænge,

som ikke mer til Løvskjul trænge;

den gyldne Strøm af Blade risler.

 

Godt til dens bløde Fald at lytte,

det taler tyst med rolig Rinden:

Al Død er Kærtegn, al Forsvinden

er Liv mod bedre Liv at bytte.

 

II

Gennem Krat og dunkle Bregner

gaar en Sti langs Breddens Brink;

Skyggen falder, Skæret blegner,

kun den dybe Sø slaar Blink.

 

Og naar alle Straaler slukkes,

kruser svagt sig Sivets Rand

ved et Pust af kvalte Sukkes

Boblelyd paa stille Vand.

 

Af de Boblers Bristen rinder

frem et Væld af halvglemt Sang,

som i Søens Dyb forsvinder

tyst med dæmpet Draabeklang.

 

III

Vindstød over Søen fare,

sorte Skygger, Kuldegys.

Rene Sø, hvor blev dit klare

Genskær af Guds Stjernelys?

 

Overtrukket, dødt og slukket,

adskilt fra sit Ophavs Gnist,

som jeg selv er udelukket,

skilt fra Hjemmet her og hist.

 

IV

Sol derovre gaar til Hvile

atter skal en Dag nu dø;

nedad duve Breddens Pile

mod den stille, dybe Sø.

 

Bort jeg saa min Ungdom ile;

svundne Lys, kom, dvæl og bliv!

altfor tungt bag mørke Pile

lyder Suk af vissent Siv.

 

Bag min Smertevandrings Mile

staar Du Fjerne klar og mild,

som bag dunkle Rør og Pile

staar en ensom Stjernes Ild.

 

 

Lenau Moods

 

I

Pale, still and fading, day is ending;

a late slight breeze the woods caresses;

and painlessly it steals by kisses

the leaves, now soundlessly descending.

 

I thank you spring, youth with your hustle, 

your laughter, song and love are ended,

Farewell! By sleep their life amended,

the leaves all fall with scarce a rustle.

 

Through latticed branches gusts are calling,

in full view now the nests all dangle,

they no more need the leaves’ thick tangle;

in golden drifts the leaves are falling.

 

Their gentle fall I find sustaining,

Its quiet speech is calm and flowing;

All death’s caresses, all outgoing

is life for better life exchanging.

 

II

Through thick scrub and darkish bracken

runs a path along the shore;

shadows fall, day’s brightness slackens,

lake’s last glint is soon no more.

 

And with sun’s rays slowly dying,

ripples form where rushes end

with a breath of stifled sighing,

bubbling where still waters wend.

 

From burst bubbles within hearing

half-forgotten songs emerge,

in lake’s depths then disappearing

muffled droplet sounds submerge.

 

III

Gusts of wind make water shiver,

cause black shadows, cold so feared.

Lake, your clear reflections quiver

where’s God’s starlight disappeared?

 

Covered over, lifeless, gutted,

its igniting spark now gone,

just as I myself am cut off

from my home, here and beyond.

 

IV

Over there the sun is setting;

now again a day must die;

bending down the willows’ fretting

to the deep, quiet lake close by.

 

My youth I saw swiftly leaving,

vanished light, return, remain!

Past dark willows comes the heaving

sighs of rushes’ withered pain.

 

Past long miles of anguished roaming,

You stand Distant, mild and clear,

like a lone star in the gloaming

way past reeds and trees seems near.