Poems by Hermann Hesse

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Across The fields

Across the sky, the clouds move,

Across the fields, the wind,

Across the fields the lost child

Of my mother wanders.

Across the street, leaves blow,

Across the trees, birds cry --

Across the mountains, far away,

My home must be.

Hermann Hesse

Lonesome Night

You brothers, who are mine,

Poor people, near and far,

Longing for every star,

Dream of relief from pain,

You, stumbling dumb

At night, as pale stars break,

Lift your thin hands for some

Hope, and suffer, and wake,

Hermann Hesse

How Heavy The Days

How heavy the days are.

There's not a fire that can warm me,

Not a sun to laugh with me,

Everything bare,

Everything cold and merciless,

And even the beloved, clear

Stars look desolately down,

Since I learned in my heart that

Hermann Hesse

At Night On The High Seas

At night, when the sea cradles me

And the pale star gleam

Lies down on its broad waves,

Then I free myself wholly

From all activity and all the love

And stand silent and breathe purely,

Alone, alone cradled by the sea

That lies there, cold and silent, with a thousand lights.

Hermann Hesse

I Know, You Walk--

I walk so often, late, along the streets,

Lower my gaze, and hurry, full of dread,

Suddenly, silently, you still might rise

And I would have to gaze on all your grief

With my own eyes,

While you demand your happiness, that's dead.

I know, you walk beyond me, every night,

With a coy footfall, in a wretched dress

Hermann Hesse

Lying In Grass

Is this everything now, the quick delusions of flowers,

And the down colors of the bright summer meadow,

The soft blue spread of heaven, the bees' song,

Is this everything only a god's

Groaning dream,

The cry of unconscious powers for deliverance?

The distant line of the mountain,

That beautifully and courageously rests in the blue,

Hermann Hesse

Thinking Of A Friend At Night

In this evil year, autumn comes early…

I walk by night in the field, alone, the rain clatters,

The wind on my hat…And you? And you, my friend?

You are standing—maybe—and seeing the sickle moon

Move in a small arc over the forests

And bivouac fire, red in the black valley.

You are lying—maybe—in a straw field and sleeping

And dew falls cold on your forehead and battle jacket.

Hermann Hesse

In Secret We Thirst

Graceful, spiritual,

with the gentleness of arabesques

our life is similar

to the existence of fairies

that spin in soft cadence

around nothingness

to which we sacrifice

the here and now

Hermann Hesse

On A Journey

Don't be downcast, soon the night will come,

When we can see the cool moon laughing in secret

Over the faint countryside,

And we rest, hand in hand.

Don't be downcast, the time will soon come

When we can have rest. Our small crosses will stand

On the bright edge of the road together,

And rain fall, and snow fall,

Hermann Hesse

A Swarm Of Gnats

Many thousand glittering motes

Crowd forward greedily together

In trembling circles.

Extravagantly carousing away

For a whole hour rapidly vanishing,

They rave, delirious, a shrill whir,

Shivering with joy against death.

While kingdoms, sunk into ruin,

Hermann Hesse

Without You

My Pillow gazes upon me at night

Empty as a gravestone;

I never thought it would be so bitter

To be alone,

Not to lie down asleep in your hair.

I lie alone in a silent house,

The hanging lamp darkened,

And gently stretch out my hands

Hermann Hesse

The Poet

Only on me, the lonely one,

The unending stars of the night shine,

The stone fountain whispers its magic song,

To me alone, to me the lonely one

The colorful shadows of the wandering clouds

Move like dreams over the open countryside.

Neither house nor farmland,

Neither forest nor hunting privilege is given to me,

Hermann Hesse