Poems (Schiller)/Susquehanna
SUSQUEHANNA
Thy waves are glist'ning 'neath the sun's bright rays,
Thou river of my pride;
And I with tenderness and admiration gaze
Upon thy bosom wide.
Thou river of my pride;
And I with tenderness and admiration gaze
Upon thy bosom wide.
The far-famed waters of the Juniata blue,
Meet thine in fond embrace;
And yonder mountain-top, now clad in summer's hue
Is mirrored in thy face.
Meet thine in fond embrace;
And yonder mountain-top, now clad in summer's hue
Is mirrored in thy face.
Fair river! as I stand upon thy shore,
Sweet visions come to me;
I dream of all the happy days of yore
That I have spent near thee.
Sweet visions come to me;
I dream of all the happy days of yore
That I have spent near thee.
How oft in childhood I have idly played
Along thy brink,
And watched the lazy cattle as they strayed
To lave and drink.
Along thy brink,
And watched the lazy cattle as they strayed
To lave and drink.
Each pebble from thy shore was stored away
With greatest care
And mussel shells, broken and brown with clay,
Were treasures rare.
With greatest care
And mussel shells, broken and brown with clay,
Were treasures rare.
In later years, when 'neath the moon asilver sheet
Thy waters lay,
How oft have love-songs, low and sweet,
Been borne away
Thy waters lay,
How oft have love-songs, low and sweet,
Been borne away
On the night wind, as a light boat
Sped o'er thy breast,
When all was silent, save the night-bird's note
Of vague unrest.
Sped o'er thy breast,
When all was silent, save the night-bird's note
Of vague unrest.
Dear River! Thou wilt ever hold a place
Within my heart,
For in bright visions, which old time can ne'er efface,
Thou play'st a part.
Within my heart,
For in bright visions, which old time can ne'er efface,
Thou play'st a part.
No other river e'er so fair will seem
To my fond eyes,
Until my feet shall tread beside the stream
In Paradise.
June 1, 1868.
To my fond eyes,
Until my feet shall tread beside the stream
In Paradise.
June 1, 1868.