It cheers me, like the stars eterne that gleam
Across the northern-lights’ far-flick’ring beam.

1789.*
-----
Proximity.

I know not, wherefore, dearest love,

Thou often art so strange and coy
When ’mongst man’s busy haunts we move,

Thy coldness puts to flight my joy. 
But soon as night and silence round us reign,
I know thee by thy kisses sweet again!

1789.*
-----
Reciprocal.

My mistress, where sits she?

What is it that charms? 
The absent she’s rocking,

Held fast in her arms.

In pretty cage prison’d

She holds a bird still;
Yet lets him fly from her,

Whenever he will.

He pecks at her finger,

And pecks at her lips,
And hovers and flutters,

And round her he skips.

Then hasten thou homeward,

In fashion to be;
If thou hast the maiden,

She also hath thee.

1816.
-----
Rollicking Hans.

Hallo there!  A glass!

Ha! the draught’s truly sweet! 
If for drink go my shoes,

I shall still have my feet.

A maiden and wine,

With sweet music and song,—­
I would they were mine,

All life’s journey along!

If I depart from this sad sphere,
And leave a will behind me here,
A suit at law will be preferr’d,
But as for thanks,—­the deuce a word! 
So ere I die, I squander all,
And that a proper will I call.

His comrade.

Hallo there!  A glass!

Ha! the draught’s truly sweet
If thou keepest thy shoes,

Thou wilt then spare thy feet.

A maiden and wine,

With sweet music and song,
On pavement, are thine,

All life’s journey along!
-----
The freebooter,

No door has my house,

No house has my door;
And in and out ever

I carry my store.

No grate has my kitchen,

No kitchen my grate;
Yet roasts it and boils it

Both early and late.

My bed has no trestles,

My trestles no bed;
Yet merrier moments

No mortal e’er led.

My cellar is lofty,

My barn is full deep,
From top to the bottom,—­

There lie I and sleep.

And soon as I waken,

All moves on its race;
My place has no fixture,

My fixture no place.

1827.*
-----
Joy and sorrow.

As a fisher-boy I fared

To the black rock in the sea,
And, while false gifts I prepared.

Listen’d and sang merrily,
Down descended the decoy,

Soon a fish attack’d the bait;
One exultant shout of joy,—­

And the fish was captured straight.

Ah! on shore, and to the wood