Die alten bosen Lieder

The songs, so old and bitter,
The dreams so wild and drear,
Let's bury them together —
What ho! A coffin here!

I have so much to bury
It never will be done,
Unless the coffin's larger
Than Heidelberg's great Tun.

And bring a bier to match it
Of stoutest oaks and pines;
It must be even longer
Than the long bridge at Mainz.

And also bring twelve giants
Of mightier brawn and bone
Than Christopher, the sainted,
Whose shrine is in Cologne.

And in the great sea sink it
Beneath the proudest wave;
For such a mighty coffin
Should have a mighty grave . . .

You know what makes my coffin
So great, so hard to bear?
It holds my love within it,
And my too heavy care.