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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Poems in English 

• Владимир Вишневский – В Мисхоре by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Тем, что в женщине разбудишь by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Стада уж боле не пасутся мирно by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Пассажирский поезд by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Она идёт – как Восток алеет by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Незаконная гордость by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Нервическая песнь by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – На исходе двадцатого века by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Мой брат на много лет вперёд by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Кто-то тянется к водному поло by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Как некстати или срыв спецоперации by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Из дневника читателя by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Долго же мы друг друга откладывали by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Вишневский – Что хочешь ты – желанье изъяви by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Степанов – Зима by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Степанов – Жучка и тучка by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Степанов – Юрий Гагарин by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Степанов – Ёжик и дождик by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Степанов – Яхта (Буква Я) by Владимр Степанов
• Владимир Степанов – Хрюшка by Владимр Степанов

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