A Peasant’s Song + 

O, thou, who loved me once, + 

From thy Pagoda glance; + 

Shoot down a poisoned lance: + 

All’s well that comes from thee. + 

Look back, look down once more; + 

Dear was to thee this shore; + 

I see thee nevermore + 

Beneath the olive tree. + 

Remains my station low, + 

Whilst thou dost greater grow; + 

Ah, fate hath struck the blow + 

That parted thee and me. + 

How can I bear my fate, + 

How can I loveless wait + 

In this most sorry state, + 

When thou art far and free? + 

Far from the soul that swore + 

On love’s abysmal door + 

To cling forevermore + 

To none on earth but thee; + 

Free from the sacred plight + 

Which, to dispel the night, + 

Thou madest, when I quite + 

Fell near thy bended knee. + 

Dost thou not still remember + 

Love’s May and Love’s December? + 

Both burned their sacred ember + 

In our sweet company. + 

Dost hear the echoes fall + 

Within thy gilded hall? + 

Dost thou not ever recall + 

The day thou wert like me? + 

When all thy gardens bloom, + 

Look out into the gloom; + 

There does the flame consume + 

Thy budless lilac tree. + 

There often thou didst play + 

A-mindless of the day + 

When soul to soul would say: + 

“No more of thee and me.” + 

And when withers thy rose, + 

Throw to the wind that blows + 

This way a leaf; who knows + 

What therein I can see. + 

And till my course is run + 

I’ll count them one by one⁠— + 

These leaves; and may the sun + 

Of joy ne’er set on thee. + 