Hymn to the Night I

Before all the wondrous shows of the widespread space around him, whatliving, sentient thing loves not the all-joyous light, with its colours,its rays and undulations, its gentle omnipresence in the form of thewakening Day? The giant world of the unresting constellations inhales itas the innermost soul of life, and floats dancing in its azure flood; thesparkling, ever-tranquil stone, the thoughtful, imbibing plant, and thewild, burning, multiform beast-world inhales it; but more than all, thelordly stranger with the meaning eyes, the swaying walk, and the sweetlyclosed, melodious lips. Like a king over earthly nature, it rouses everyforce to countless transformations, binds and unbinds innumerablealliances, hangs its heavenly form around every earthly substance. Itspresence alone reveals the marvellous splendour of the kingdoms of theworld.

Aside I turn to the holy, unspeakable, mysterious Night. Afar lies theworld, sunk in a deep grave; waste and lonely is its place. In the chordsof the bosom blows a deep sadness. I am ready to sink away in drops ofdew, and mingle with the ashes.--The distances of memory, the wishes ofyouth, the dreams of childhood, the brief joys and vain hopes of a wholelong life, arise in gray garments, like an evening vapour after thesunset. In other regions the light has pitched its joyous tents: what ifit should never return to its children, who wait for it with the faith ofinnocence?

What springs up all at once so sweetly boding in my heart, and stills thesoft air of sadness? Dost thou also take a pleasure in us, dusky Night?What holdest thou under thy mantle, that with hidden power affects mysoul? Precious balm drips from thy hand out of its bundle of poppies. Thouupliftest the heavy-laden pinions of the soul. Darkly and inexpressiblyare we moved: joy-startled, I see a grave countenance that, tender andworshipful, inclines toward me, and, amid manifold entangled locks,reveals the youthful loveliness of the Mother. How poor and childish athing seems to me now the light! how joyous and welcome the departure ofthe day!--Didst thou not only therefore, because the Night turns away fromthee thy servants, strew in the gulfs of space those flashing globes, toproclaim, in seasons of thy absence, thy omnipotence, and thy return?

More heavenly than those glittering stars we hold the eternal eyes whichthe Night hath opened within us. Farther they see than the palest of thosecountless hosts. Needing no aid from the light, they penetrate the depthsof a loving soul that fills a loftier region with bliss ineffable. Gloryto the queen of the world, to the great prophetess of holier worlds, tothe foster-mother of blissful love! she sends thee to me, thou tenderlybeloved, the gracious sun of the Night. Now am I awake, for now am I thineand mine. Thou hast made me know the Night, and brought her to me to be mylife; thou hast made of me a man. Consume my body with the ardour of mysoul, that I, turned to finer air, may mingle more closely with thee, andthen our bridal night endure for ever.