Robert Prutz: “No Further Ask”

Excerpt, “Translations From The German Poets.” Edward Stanhope Pearson. 1879

NO FURTHER ASK

Seek not to know

What in my silent eyes deep lying

Oft trembles on them like a tear;

Or as a stealthy breath of sighing

From my shy lips falls on the ear!

It is a word, I may not say it,

A blessed golden dreamlike show,

Let but my look, my heart betray it

As it beats fast—seek not to know.

.

Seek not to know

What restlessly when thou art by me

With magic power constrains my heart;

When smiling thou dost scarce descry me

What urgeth me to stand apart!

With gaudy butterflies attended,

And fed with earliest sunny glow,

A rosebud thou with westwinds blended,

All leafless I—seek not to know!

.

No further ask

To what untimely sunset tending

My shortened life full soon may sink,

Of what abyss, to sudden ending

My weary foot slips o’er the brink.

The world to thee be morn unclouded,

In May’s bright sunshine may’st thou bask;

What sorrow is from thee be shrouded,

Farewell, forget—no further ask!