Hymn to the Night II
Must the morning always return? Will the despotism of the earthly never cease? Unholy activity consumes the angel-visit of the Night. Will the time never come when Love's hidden sacrifice shall burn eternally? To the Light a season was set; but everlasting and boundless is the dominion of the Night. - Endless is the duration of sleep. Holy Sleep - gladden not too seldom in this earthly day-labour, the devoted servant of the Night. Fools alone mistake thee, knowing nought of sleep but the shadow which, in the twilight of the real Night, thou pitifully castest over us. They feel thee not in the golden flood of the grapes - in the magic oil of the almond tree - and the brown juice of the poppy. They know not that it is thou who hauntest the bosom of the tender maiden, and makest a heaven of her lap - never suspect it is thou, opening the doors to Heaven, that steppest to meet them out of ancient stories, bearing the key to the dwellings of the blessed, silent messenger of secrets infinite.
Novalis (1772 - 1801)
Thank you for the poet of the Night: "Must the morning always return?"
ReplyDeleteAnd for the 'twilight idyll'.
Pure delight tinged with sadness...
Claudia,
ReplyDeleteyou put it all in your last line.
Yes. It's touching; the more when you are in the right mood.
At the same time, though, it's alwalys a great relief after some hours of sleep to open my eyes - and to find it's morning - and - hurra - I am still alive.
Glad you like the photo. It was once taken in the Northwest of Scotland. When watching it I can still feel the atmosphere on this very evening when the night was about opening her door for the lonesome stranger. :)
Definitely a mystical writer. I could read him for hours. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteJanice,
ReplyDeletehis writing is certainly worth to be discovered. And so is his biography.