Hermann Hesse, Translated by James Wright

Uber die felder....

Uber den Himmel Wolken ziehn
Uber die Felder geht der Wind,
Uber die Felder wandert
Meiner Mutter verlorences Kind.

Uber die Strasse Blatter wehn,
Uber den Baumen Vogel schrein-
Irgendwo uber den Bergen
Muss meine ferne Heimat sein.

(1902)

Across the Fields...

Across the sky, the clouds move,
Across the fields, the wind,
Across the fields the lost child
Of my mother wanders.

Across the street, leaves blow,
Across the trees, birds cry-
Across the mountains, far away,
My home must be.
_______________________________________________________

Einsame Nacht

Die ihr meine Bruder seid,
Arme Menschen nah und ferne,
Die ihr im Bezirk der Sterne
Tostung traumet eurem Leid,
Die ihr wortelos gefaltet
In die blass gestirnte Nacht
Schmale Dulderhande haltet,
Die ihr leidet, die ihr wacht,
Arme, irrende Gemeinde,
Schiffer ohne Stern und Gluck-
Fremde, dennoch mir Vereinte,
Gebr mir meinen Gruss zuruck!

(1902)

Lonesome Night

You brothers, who are mine,
Poor people, near and far,
Longing for every star,
Dream of relief from pain,
You stumbling dumb
At night, as pale stars break,
Lift your think hands for some
Hope, and suffer, and wake,
Poor muddling commonplace,
You sailors who must live
Unstarred by hopelessness,
We share a single face.
Give me my welcome back.

Poems by Hermann Hesse, translated by James Wright, 1970