“I with my mother was dwelling “In yonder town of Cologne, “The town that many a hundred “Fair churches and chapels doth own. “And near us there dwelt my Gretchen, “Who, alas! is dead to-day; “O, Mary, I bring thee a wax-heart, “My heart’s wounds cure, I pray. “My sick heart cure, O cure thou, “And early and late my vow “I’ll pay, and sing with devotion: “‘O Mary, blessed be thou!’” 3. The poor sick son and his mother In their little chamber slept, The mother of God to their chamber All lightly, lightly crept. She bent herself over the sick one, Her hand with action light Upon his heart placed softly, Smiled sweetly and vanish’d from sight. The mother saw all in her vision, Saw this and saw much more; From out of her slumber woke she, The hounds were baying full sore. Her son was lying before her, And dead her son he lay, While over his pale cheeks gently The light of morning did play. Her hands the mother folded, She felt she knew not how; With meekness sang she and softly: “O Mary, blessed be thou!” THE DREAM. (From _Salon_.) A vision I dreamt of a lovely child. She wore her hair in tresses; In the blue nights of summer so calm and mild We sat in the greenwood’s recesses. In mutual rapture and torture we vied, We loved and exchanged loving kisses; The yellow stars in the heavens all sigh’d And seem’d to envy our blisses. I now am awake, and around me gaze In the darkness, alone and despairing; The stars in the heavens are shedding their rays In silence and all-uncaring. _NEW POEMS._ 1. SERAPHINA. 1. When at evening in the forest, In the dreamlike wood I rove, Ever doth thy slender figure Close beside me softly move. See I not thy gentle features? Is it not thy veil that stirs? Can it be the moonlight only Breaking through the gloomy firs? Can it be mine own tears only That I hear all-lightly flow? Or my loved one, dost thou really Close beside me weeping go? 2. O’er the silent strand of ocean Night appears in gloomy splendour From the clouds the moon is breaking, As the waves these whispers send her “Yonder mortal, is he foolish, “Or is he by love tormented, “That he looks so sad, yet joyous, “So distress’d, yet so contented?” But the moon, with smiles replying, Loudly said: “Full well I know it; “He is both in love and foolish, “And moreover is a poet.” 3. ’Tis surely a snowwhite seamew That I see fluttering there Just over the darksome billows; The moon stands high in the air. The shark and the ray snap fiercely From out of the wave, and stare; The seamew is rising and falling, The moon stands high in the air.