Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Holland: Vols. XIV–XV. 1876–79. | | | | Portugal: Lima, the River | | The River Lima | | Diogo Bernardes (c. 1530–c. 1605) |
| | Translated by John Adamson
O LIMA, thou that in this valley’s sweep | |
| Now murmuring glid’st, with soothing sounds the while | |
| That western skies obscure Sol’s gilded smile, | |
| Luring the neighbors of thy stream to sleep, | |
| I, now lovelorn, of other sounds than thine, | 5 |
| Catch but the whispers as thy waters flow, | |
| And, in the loved one’s absence sunk in woe, | |
| Increase thy wave with gushing tears of mine. | |
| And whilst meandering gently to the sea | |
| Seemeth methinks, so sweet the moan thou makest, | 10 |
| That thou a share in all my griefs partakest,— | |
| Yet I ’m deceived, thou but complain’st of me; | |
| That the intrusion of my falling tear | |
| Should break the surface of thy waters clear. | | | | |
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