| James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902. | | | | May 9 | | The Death of Schiller | | By William Cullen Bryant (1794–1878) |
| | | | Johann von Schiller, the famous German poet and dramatist, died May 9, 1805. |
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’TIS said, when Schiller’s death drew nigh, | |
| The wish possessed his mighty mind, | |
| To wander forth wherever lie | |
| The homes and haunts of human-kind. | |
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| Then strayed the poet, in his dreams, | 5 |
| By Rome and Egypt’s ancient graves; | |
| Went up the New World’s forest streams, | |
| Stood in the Hindoo’s temple-caves; | |
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| Walked with the Pawnee, fierce and stark, | |
| The sallow Tartar, midst his herds, | 10 |
| The peering Chinese, and the dark | |
| False Malay uttering gentle words. | |
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| How could he rest? even then he trod | |
| The threshold of the world unknown; | |
| Already, from the seat of God, | 15 |
| A ray upon his garments shone;— | |
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| Shone and awoke the strong desire | |
| For love and knowledge reached not here, | |
| Till, freed by death, his soul of fire | |
| Sprang to a fairer, ampler sphere. | 20 | | |
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