Poem 1
The Sleepless Knight
“Don´t come after, don´t come after!
Come, come…
Springs and fountains
Ask the mountains
Springs and fountains
Ask the mountains
Why couldn´t this go on?”
(from “Ask the mountains” by Vangelis)
He found me wild
My heart beguiled
My mind askew…
“Why is thy face, sweet Lady
Wet by the morning dew?
Or was it thine heart
Hurt by the dart
Of a careless hunter?”
It was an arrow, brave Knight
In the bow of an archer…
It was my trust
Lost in the lust
Of a reckless king!
“So give me thy colors, my Lady
Give me thy ring
I´ll give thee my armor
My sword and my honor
To dry up thy tears…”
So I wrapped my shawl on his sword
And my hurts and my fears…
He raised his shield
My strength now steeled
Against the king´s arrow.
And what´s thy name, brave Sir?
How may I reach thee
When the night falls
And my heart calls
for the love of the king?
“I´m the Sleepless Knight, fair Lady
Don´t fear the string
Of his bow in the night
His strength in the fight
For I´ll never slumber...”
So he went away through the fields
My fears now blander
As the sweet morning dew
Now made anew
Washed my tears away…
fig: Brunheld and Knight - Arthur Rackham for the opera The ring of Nubelunger by Wagner
The Sleepless Knight
“Don´t come after, don´t come after!
Come, come…
Springs and fountains
Ask the mountains
Springs and fountains
Ask the mountains
Why couldn´t this go on?”
(from “Ask the mountains” by Vangelis)
He found me wild
My heart beguiled
My mind askew…
“Why is thy face, sweet Lady
Wet by the morning dew?
Or was it thine heart
Hurt by the dart
Of a careless hunter?”
It was an arrow, brave Knight
In the bow of an archer…
It was my trust
Lost in the lust
Of a reckless king!
“So give me thy colors, my Lady
Give me thy ring
I´ll give thee my armor
My sword and my honor
To dry up thy tears…”
So I wrapped my shawl on his sword
And my hurts and my fears…
He raised his shield
My strength now steeled
Against the king´s arrow.
And what´s thy name, brave Sir?
How may I reach thee
When the night falls
And my heart calls
for the love of the king?
“I´m the Sleepless Knight, fair Lady
Don´t fear the string
Of his bow in the night
His strength in the fight
For I´ll never slumber...”
So he went away through the fields
My fears now blander
As the sweet morning dew
Now made anew
Washed my tears away…
fig: Brunheld and Knight - Arthur Rackham for the opera The ring of Nubelunger by Wagner