Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


NEW SPRING: 17 by HEINRICH HEINE

First Line: WHAT DRIVES THEE ON, IN THE SPRING'S CLEAR NIGHT?
Last Line: WITH FIERCE LOVE RAVING SO MADLY?
Subject(s): FLOWERS; LOVE;

WHAT drives thee on, in the spring's clear night?
Thou hast driven the flowers all mad with fright,
The violets tremble and shiver;
The roses are all with shame so red,
The lilies are death-pale, and hang their head,
They mourn, and falter, and quiver.

O darling moon, what an innocent race
Those sweet flowers are! They are right in this case,
I really have acted badly;
Yet how could I tell that in wait she would lie,
When I was addressing the stars on high,
With fierce love raving so madly?



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