Joseph Freih Eichendorff

1788-1857 / Germany

The little broken ring

In a cool meadow hollow
Where a mill wheel slowly spins
My girl-friend made me sorrow
Disappearing from the beloved place.

She promised to be faithful
And gave me there a little ring
But when her sweet words revealed untruthful
Two parts ring split out of the one thing.

So I'd like to go far ahead
To the world of God's belongs
Knocking from flat to flat
And sing my written heartly songs.

I'd like as a bleeding rider
To go and fight a wild battle.
Then at dark night as a lonely spider
To sit calmly at a fire rattle.

And when I hear the mill wheel hum
I don't know what my will is.
I think the death might come
To bring an eternal peace.
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