Short Poems

684

Best Gains—must have the Losses' Test—
To constitute them—Gains—

834

Before He comes we weigh the Time!
'Tis Heavy and 'tis Light.
When He depart, an Emptiness
Is the prevailing Freight.

Better to listen to the tale than talk of love;
If this be awareness, then I must lose it;
If that cannot make my heart rejoice freely
Better than such a laughter is to shed silent tears.

Hver Time er forgyldt, og Viiseren tillige;
Du Jord-Klimp, hør engang, hvad Guldet her vil sige.
Den gyldne Time gik, men kommer aldrig meer;

Blev denne Sandhed nu engang til Hierte tagen,
Saa merkte vi tilgavns, hvad Klokken den var slagen.

The kisses you
refused were the best

like the poems
on the lake I didn't write.

The fish that flees away
breaking the hook
seems to be the best;
the lips of you, o girl,
you have not given me to kiss,
seem to be the best.

Bescheide dich:
Nicht was du nahmst, nur was du gabst, vermag
Dich über deinen Tod hinauszuretten.
Wer wird einst fragen, ob du deiner Lust genüge tatest -
Wenn ich jetzt stürbe, hätt´ ich kaum gelebt -
Empfangend nicht und gebend kaum.

The little feet have left the house,
The little voice is still:
Without, the wan wind-weary boughs;
Within, the will
To go and hear the wee feet tread
Within the garden of the dead.

Je suis triste, ma reine,
Que mon coeur, mon coeur a de peine,
Je suis triste, ma reine,
D'être si loin de vous.

Benares ghats ~
the Ganga washing away
devotees' sins