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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


LAMENTATION OF AN OLD-GERMAN YOUTH by HEINRICH HEINE

First Line: THE MAN ON WHOM VIRTUE SMILES IS BLEST
Last Line: AT CASSEL A SENTRY'S POSITION.
Subject(s): LAMENT; YOUTH;

THE man on whom virtue smiles is blest,
He is lost who neglects her instructions;
Poor youth that I am, I am ruin'd
By evil companions' seductions.

For cards and dice soon dispossess'd
My pockets of all their money;
At first the maidens consoled me
With smiles as luscious as honey.

But when they had fuddled with wine their guest,
And torn my garments, straightway
(Poor youth that I am) they seized me,
And bundled me out at the gateway.

On waking after a bad night's rest, --
Sad end to all my ambition! --
Poor youth that I am, I was filling
At Cassel a sentry's position.



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