Mignon by Goethe

Translated by: Murray Alfredson

 

Know you the country where the lemon flowers?

The oranges glow gold through dark-leaved bowers;

from heavens’ blue the gentle breezes blow;

quiet the myrtles, and tall the laurels grow

~ Know you it well? There, oh there

would I with you, oh my beloved, fare.

Know you the house? Roof rests on pillared walls,

the chambers shimmer, splendid gleam the halls;

the marble statues stand, on me gaze down:

To you, poor child, what have they done?

Know you it well? There,

oh there would I with you, oh my protector, fare.

Know you the mountain footbridge, that cloud-hid way?

In fog the mule seeks on his path to stay;

in caverns lives the dragons’ ancient brood;

crags plunge to deeps and over them the flood.

Know you it well? There, oh there

our way leads on! Oh father, let us fare.

 

poet and lecturer from Australia