German poetry for someone who cares

When aadroma made his request for important foreign-language literature, just about the first thing to spring into my head was Goethe. Call me old-fashioned. I know that most schoolkids don't even read him any more. But the fact that American schoolchildren can get all the way to college without ever reading a Shakespearean sonnet isn't about to threaten the Bard's godlike standing and I feel the same way about Goethe. I'm not a man to use the word "genius" lightly, but if it fits anyone, it fits Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

Back in the day, not only was every educated German familiar with the following poem, many could probably recite it from memory. It's inspired parodies and homages by authors from Kästner to Kempner, so even if it isn't his greatest poem ever, it's clearly one of his more memorable ones. (Yes, it's unabashedly Romantic. He invented Romantic, remember?)

Kennst du das Land, wo die Zitronen blühn,
Im dunkeln Laub die Goldorangen glühn,
Ein sanfter Wind vom blauen Himmel weht,
Die Myrte still und hoch der Lorbeer steht?
Kennst du es wohl? Dahin!
Dahin möcht' ich mit dir,
O mein Geliebter, ziehn.

Kennst du das Haus? Auf Sälen ruht sein Dach,
Es glänzt der Saal, es schimmert das Gemach,
Und Marmorbilder stehn und sehn mich an:
Was hat man dir, du armes Kind, getan?
Kennst du es wohl? Dahin!
Dahin möcht' ich mit dir,
O mein Beschützer, ziehn.

Kennst du den Berg und seinen Wolkensteg?
Das Maultier such im Nebel seinen Weg,
In Höhlen wohnt der Drachen alte Brut;
Es stürzt der Fels und über ihn die Flut.
Kennst du ihn wohl? Dahin!
Dahin geht unser Weg!
O Vater, laß uns ziehn!

I'll post a translation later. (They're easy enough to find if you can't wait.) In the meantime, German learners might want to look at this page, with its helpful glosses for difficult vocabulary. Grammatical questions? You can me to any time questions stand!

( For advanced students )

Crossing Goethe

It took me a while to find a translation I liked. Of the ones available online, Thomas Carlyle's seems to have done the least damage to Goethe's original lines.

( Know'st thou the land? )

Preserving the...ah...inimitable qualities of Kempner's verse is a different challenge altogether and I submit my miserable attempt in full knowledge that it is not up to the task.

( That's too bad! )