Liebestod

A poem by Alan Seeger (1888-1916)

I who, conceived beneath another star,

Had been a prince and played with life, instead

Have been its slave, an outcast exiled far

From the fair things my faith has merited.

My ways have been the ways that wanderers tread

And those that make romance of poverty —

Soldier, I shared the soldier’s board and bed,

And Joy has been a thing more oft to me

Whispered by summer wind and summer sea

Than known incarnate in the hours it lies

All warm against our hearts and laughs into our eyes.

I know not if in risking my best days

I shall leave utterly behind me here

This dream that lightened me through lonesome ways

And that no disappointment made less dear;

Sometimes I think that, where the hilltops rear

Their white entrenchments back of tangled wire,

Behind the mist Death only can make clear,

There, like Brunhilde ringed with flaming fire,

Lies what shall ease my heart’s immense desire:

There, where beyond the horror and the pain

Only the brave shall pass, only the strong attain.

Truth or delusion, be it as it may,

Yet think it true, dear friends, for, thinking so,

That thought shall nerve our sinews on the day

When to the last assault our bugles blow:

Reckless of pain and peril we shall go,

Heads high and hearts aflame and bayonets bare,

And we shall brave eternity as though

Eyes looked on us in which we would seem fair —

One waited in whose presence we would wear,

Even as a lover who would be well-seen,

Our manhood faultless and our honor clean.

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• Владимир Британишский – По-польски вместо слова “светлячок” by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – По Иртышу by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – У этой матери кормящей by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Ты шепчешь мне by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Тверь by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Тропа виляла by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Старая Рига by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Сравнения by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Сон: в детстве, весной, в лесу by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Снились двое товарищей по Салехарду by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Смешанный брак by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Смерть Крылова by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – Служба by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – В пыльном, душном, купеческом by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – В Прикаспии by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – В “Онегине”, глава седьмая by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – В нашем вновь обретенном ленинградском доме by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – В годы войны by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – В Емуртлинском форпосте сибирских драгун by Владимир Британишский
• Владимир Британишский – В чащобах памяти кого не встретишь вдруг by Владимир Британишский

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