Blackwood's Magazine/Volume 1/Issue 2/The Mermaid
THE MERMAID.
From the German of Goethe.
1.
On lonely rock the Fisher lies,
In clear cool stream his hook he throws,
And views the bait with wistful eyes;
And as his silent task he plies,
Behold! the floods apart are flung,—
And where the circling eddies rise,
A Mermaid's form hath upward sprung!
2.
"O, Fisher! why my train decoy?
"With craft of man—still wise in wrong—
"Why seek to change to death their joy?
"O! wist thou here what tasks employ—
"What bliss the tribes of ocean know,—
"No more thy days should care annoy,
"But peace be sought these waves below!"
3.
"And beauteous moon, our watery rest?
"And springs not each, its course to run,
"Wave-wash'd, in tenfold glory drest?
"And charms not Thee in Ocean's breast
"This nether heaven of loveliest blue?—
"Charms not thine own fair form imprest
"In liquid limning soft and true?"
4.
At length around his feet is flung;—
He starts—the flame within him glows,
That erst on love's embraces hung!
And sweeter yet the sea-maid sung,
And sought, half-met, the charmed shore;
Her arms around her victim flung
And ne'er was seen that Fisher more!
J. F.
