Winter Morning

A poem in different performances

Frost and sunshine; what a wondrous day!
You are still dozing, my dear friend—
Time, beauty, wake up:
Open your eyes, closed in delight,
And greet the Northern Aurora,
Appear as a star of the North!

Last night, you remember, the blizzard raged,
And mist raced across the cloudy sky;
The moon, like a pale blot,
Yellowed through the darkened clouds,
And you sat, sad—
But now… look out the window:

Under blue heavens
Like magnificent carpets,
Snow lies, shining in the sun;
The clear forest is all blackening alone,
And the fir grows green through frost,
And the little river sparkles beneath the ice.

All the room is lit with amber gleam.
With cheerful crackling
The stove that has been stoked bursts and crackles.
It’s pleasant to think while lying down by the hearth.
But tell me—could it be that we should harness
The brown mare to the sleigh?

Gliding over the morning snow,
My dear friend, let’s give ourselves to the run
Of the impatient steed,
And visit the empty fields,
The forests that were so dense not long ago,
And the shore beloved by me.