Poems (Follen)/"Flow on, thou shining River"
"FLOW ON, THOU SHINING RIVER."
"Flow on, thou shining river," Flow gaily to the sea; Flow on in beauty ever, With all thy melody. Where has thy gentle current strayed? Teach all thy joyous tale to me; Let it flow on through light and shade; My song shall follow thee.
Through meadows now meander, With graceful sweet delay; And now, through green woods wander, Where scarcely peeps the day: Now, where the lofty bank hangs o'er, Pursue thy wild, romantic way; Down the steep rocks now swiftly pour, Like time, that cannot stay.
Its murmurs now increasing, On thy glad current goes; And now, with roar unceasing, The rapid torrent flows; And now, all tossed in feathery foam, Sparkling with rainbow light it glows; It seems impatient for its home, And hastening to repose.
Flow on, thou shining river, Thou soon shalt reach the sea; Thus we are passing ever, And haste away like thee. Wave after wave, in ceaseless flow, Moves onward to eternity: O may the stream thy gladness know, And thy sweet melody!