Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


TO THE MOON by JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE

First Line: BUSH AND VALE THOU FILL'ST AGAIN
Last Line: BOLDLY INTO NIGHT.
Subject(s): MOON; NIGHT; SOUL; BEDTIME;

BUSH and vale thou fill'st again
With thy misty ray,
And my spirit's heavy chain
Casteth far away.

Thou dost o'er my fields extend
Thy sweet soothing eye,
Watching like a gentle friend,
O'er my destiny.

Vanish'd days of bliss and woe
Haunt me with their tone,
Joy and grief in turns I know,
As I stray alone.

Stream beloved, flow on! flow on!
Ne'er can I be gay!
Thus have sport and kisses gone,
Truth thus pass'd away.

Once I seem'd the lord to be
Of that prize so fair!
Now, to our deep sorrow, we
Can forget it ne'er.

Murmur, stream, the vale along,
Never cease thy sighs;
Murmur, whisper to my song
Answering melodies!

When thou in the winter's night
Overflow'st in wrath,
Or in spring-time sparklest bright,
As the buds shoot forth.

He who from the world retires,
Void of hate, is blest;
Who a friend's true love inspires,
Leaning on his breast!

That which heedless man ne'er knew,
Or ne'er thought aright,
Roams the bosom's labyrinth through,
Boldly into night.



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