Poetry and Sleep

Romanian Sleep Poems

Longing

Come to the forest spring where wavelets  
Trembling o'er the pebbles glide  
And the drooping willow branches  
Its secluded threshold hide. 

Eagerly your arms outstreching,  
Hurry dear to my embrace,  
That the breeze your hair will gather  
And uplift it from your face. 

On my knees you will be seated  
Just we two alone, alone  
While upon your curls disordered  
Are the lime-tree's blossoms strown. 

Forehead pale and tresses golden  
On my shoulder you incline,  
And your lip's delicious plunder  
Raise up willingly to mine. 

We will dream a dream of fairies  
Rocked by secret lullaby,  
Which the lovely spring is chanting  
And the winds that wander by. 

Midst that harmony thus sleeping  
Woodland tales our thoughts enthrall,  
And upon our bodies softly  
Do the lime-trees petal fall. 

Mihail Eminescu

One Wish Alone Have I

One wish alone have I:  
In some calm land  
Beside the sea to die;  
Upon its strand  
That I forever sleep,  
The forest near,  
A heaven clear  
Stretched o'er the peaceful deep.  
No candles shine,  
Nor tomb I need, instead  
Let them for me a bed  
Of twigs entwine. 

That no one weeps my end,  
Nor for me grieves,  
But let the autumn lend  
Tongues to the leaves,  
When brooklet ripples fall  
With murmuring sound,  
And moon is found  
Among the pine-trees tall,  
While softly rings  
The wind its trembling chime  
And over me the lime  
Its blossom flings. 

As I will then no more  
A wanderer be,  
Let them with fondness store  
My memory.  
And Lucifer the while,  
Above the pine,  
Good comrade mine,  
Will on me gently smile;  
In mournful mood,  
The sea sing sad refrain. . .  
And I be earth again  
In solitude. 

Mihail Eminescu

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