European Elegies/Winter/The forest
26.THE FOREST
The forest green, the forest green
Too soon in autumn garb is seen,
And down its deep aisles glancing
Dead leaves are madly dancing,
Till hoary winter howls about
And blots the woodland beauty out.
Too soon in autumn garb is seen,
And down its deep aisles glancing
Dead leaves are madly dancing,
Till hoary winter howls about
And blots the woodland beauty out.
And man's green strength must slowly die
And waste to grey senility,
And all happiness forgotten
Amid the dank leaves rotten,
Till in the forest's frozen woe
His bones lie dead beneath the snow.
And waste to grey senility,
And all happiness forgotten
Amid the dank leaves rotten,
Till in the forest's frozen woe
His bones lie dead beneath the snow.
From the Rumanian of Dimitrie Petrino.