Collected Works (Vol. I)

TANNHAUSER 243 Hail to Thy splendour, Holy, I cry! Mary shall bend her Face from the sky, Subtle and tender— Then I can die! TANNHAUSER. The simple love of life and gladness there! Merely to be, and worship at the heart. How complex, the machinery of me! Better? I doubt it. SHEPHERD-BOY (s2725). O Gretchen, when the morn Is gray, Forsake thy flocks and steal away To that low bank where, shepherds say, The flowers eternal are. Thine eyes should gleam to see me there, As fixed upon a star, And yet thy lips should take a tune, And match me unaware— So steals the sun beside the moon And hides her lustre rare. The bloom upon the peach is fine ; The blossom on thy cheek is mine ! O kiss me—if you dare ! I called thee by the name of love That mothers fear and gods approve, And maidens blush to say— O Gretchen, meet me in the dell We know and love, who love so well, While morn is cold and gray ! So, match thy blushes to the dawn ; Thy bosom to the rising moon, Until our loves to earth have drawn Some new bewitching tune. Come, Gretchen, in the dusk of day, Where nymphs and dryads creep away Beneath the oaks, to laugh and play And sink in lover’s swoon. We'll sing them sister songs, and show What secrets mortal lovers know. TANNHAUSER. The simple life of love and joy therein ! -Merely to love—to take such pride in it Hark ! he tunes again. Gods must behold! The childish easiness, Impossible to me, who am become Perhaps the subtlest mind of men. Alas! Maybe in this I still am self-deceived, Merely the fool swelled up with bitter words, Imagination, and the toadstool growth, Thought, wounded ; as a scorpion to sting Its own bruised life out. This is Tannhauser! How long ago since he took pleasure in Such love— [A horn winds. such music as yon horn below— [4 chant ts heard. Such worship as the simple chant that steals Calm and majestic in the solitude Up from the valley. Pilgrims, by my fay! [Enter PILGRIMS. PILGRIMS (sz7g). Hail to Thee, Lady bright, Queen of the stars of night! Avé Maria! Spouse of the Breath divine, Hail to Thee, shrouded shrine, Whence our Redeemer came! Hail to Thy holy name! Avé Maria ! TANNHAUSER. Those words that saved me! SHEPHERD-BOY. Pray, your blessing, sirs ! I worship Mary in my simple way, And see Her name in all the starry host, And Jesus crucified on every tree For me! God speed you to the House of uod ! THE ELDEST PILGRIM. The Blessing of the Virgin on your head! THe YouUNGEST PILGRIM. What make you, sir, so downcast? Come with us Who taste all happiness in uneasiness, Hunger and thirst, in His sweet Name—