Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ATTA TROLL; A SUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM: CAPUT 27, by HEINRICH HEINE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ATTA TROLL; A SUMMER-NIGHT'S DREAM: CAPUT 27, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Where in heaven, master louis
Last Line: Had I only other ears!
Subject(s): Birds; Poetry & Poets; Wisdom


"WHERE in heaven, Master Louis,
"Did you pick up all this crazy
"Nonsense?" -- these the very words were
Which the Card'nal d'Este made use of.

When he read the well-known poem
Of Orlando's frantic doings,
Which politely Ariosto
To his Eminence inscribed.

Yes, my good old friend Varnhagen,
Yes, I round thy lips see plainly
Hov'ring those exact expressions,
By the same sly smile attended.

Often dost thou laugh whilst reading,
Yet at intervals thy forehead
Solemnly is wrinkled over,
And these thoughts then steal across thee:

"Sounds it not like those young visions
"That I dreamt once with Chamisse,
"And Brentano and Fouque,
"In the blue and moonlight evenings?

"Is it not the dear notes rising
"From the long-lost forest chapel?
"Sound the well-known cap and bells not
"Roguishly at intervals?

"In the nightingale's sweet chorus
"Breaks the bear's deep double-bass,
"Dull and growling, interchanging
"In its turn with spirit-whispers!

"Nonsense, which pretends to wisdom!
"Wisdom, which has turn'd quite crazy!
"Dying sighs, which suddenly
"Into laughter are converted!" --

Yes, my friend, the sounds indeed 'tis
From the long departed dream-time;
Save that modern quavers often
'Midst the olden keynotes jingle.

Signs of trembling thou'lt discover
Here and there, despite the boasting;
I commend this little poem
To thy well-proved gentleness!

Ah! perchance it is the last free
Forest-song of the Romantic;
In the daytime's wild confusion
Will it sadly die away.

Other times and other birds too!
Other birds and other music!
What a crackling, like the geese's
Who preserved the Capitol!

What a twitt'ring! 'Tis the sparrows.
While their claws hold farthing rushlights;
Yet they're strutting like Jove's eagle
With the mighty thunderbolt!

What a cooing! Turtledoves 'tis;
Sick of love, they now are hating,
And henceforward, 'stead of Venus,
Draw the chariot of Bellona!

What a humming, world-convulsing!
'Tis in fact the big cock-chafers
Of the springtime of the people,
Smitten with a sudden frenzy!

Other times and other birds too!
Other birds and other music!
They perchance could give me pleasure
Had I only other ears!





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