The Undergraduate Killed in Battle
by George Santayana (1863-1952)

Sweet as the lawn beneath his sandalled tread
Or the scarce rippled stream beneath his oar,
For its still, channelled current constant more,
His life was, and the few blithe words he said.

One or two poets read he, and reread;
One or two friends in boyish ardour wore
Next to his heart, incurious of the lore
Dodonian woods might murmur o’er his head.

Ah, demons of the whirlwind, have a care
What, trumpeting your triumphs, ye undo!
The earth once won, begins your long despair
That never, never is his bliss for you.
He breathed betimes this clement island air
And in unwitting lordship saw the blue.

Views: 47

La Espero
by Ludwik Lejzer Zamenhof (1859-1917)
because today is Zamenhof Day

En la mondon venis nova sento,
tra la mondo iras forta voko;
Per flugiloj de facila vento
nun de loko flugu ĝi al loko.
Ne al glavo sangon soifanta
ĝi la homan tiras familion;
Al la mond’ eterne militanta
ĝi promesas sanktan harmonion.

Sub la sankta signo de l’ espero
kolektiĝas pacaj batalantoj,
Kaj rapide kreskas la afero
per laboro de la esperantoj.
Forte staras muroj de miljaroj
inter la popoloj dividitaj;
Sed dissaltos la obstinaj baroj,
per la sankta amo disbatitaj.

Sur neŭtrala lingva fundamento,
komprenante unu la alian,
La popoloj faros en konsento
unu grandan rondon familian.
Nia diligenta kolegaro
en laboro paca ne laciĝos,
Ĝis la bela sonĝo de l’ homaro
por eterna ben’ efektiviĝos.

Views: 27

The Star of Bethlehem
by Charles Wolfe (1791-1823)

When marshall’d on the mighty plain,
⁠      The glittering host bestud the sky;
One star alone, of all the train,
⁠      Can fix the sinner’s wandering eye.

Hark! hark! to God the chorus breaks,
⁠      From every host, from every gem;
But one alone the Saviour speaks,
⁠      It is the star of Bethlehem.

Once on the raging seas I rode,
⁠      The storm was loud-the night was dark.
The ocean yawn’d—and rudely blow’d
⁠      The wind that toss’d my foundering bark.

Deep horror then my vitals froze,
⁠      Death-struck, I ceas’d the tide to stem;
When suddenly a star arose,—
⁠      It was the star of Bethlehem.

It was my guide, my light, my all,
⁠      It bade my dark forebodings cease;
And, through the storm and danger’s thrall,
⁠      It led me to the port of peace.

Now safely moor’d—my perils o’er,
⁠      I’ll sing, first in night’s diadem
For ever and for evermore,
⁠      The Star!—-The Star of Bethlehem!

Views: 41

Allnächtlich im Traume
by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856)

Allnächtlich im Traume seh’ ich dich,
Und sehe dich freundlich grüßen,
Und lautaufweinend stürz’ ich mich
Zu deinen süßen Füßen.

Du siehst mich an wehmüthiglich,
Und schüttelst das blonde Köpfchen;
Aus deinen Augen schleichen sich
Die Perlenthränentröpfchen.

Du sagst mir heimlich ein leises Wort,
Und giebst mir den Strauß von Zypressen.
Ich wache auf, und der Strauß ist fort,
Und’s Wort hab’ ich vergessen.

Views: 32

Ozymandias
by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)

I met a traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
And on the pedestal these words appear:
“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Views: 40