Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VI. Fancy. 1904. | | | | Poems of Fancy: III. Mythical: Mystical: Legendary | | The Sunken City | | Wilhelm Müller (1794–1827) |
| | From the German by James Clarence Mangan |
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HARK! the faint bells of the sunken city | |
| Peal once more their wonted evening chime! | |
| From the deep abysses floats a ditty, | |
| Wild and wondrous, of the olden time. | |
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| Temples, towers, and domes of many stories | 5 |
| There lie buried in an ocean grave,— | |
| Undescried, save when their golden glories | |
| Gleam, at sunset, through the lighted wave. | |
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| And the mariner who had seen them glisten, | |
| In whose ears those magic bells do sound, | 10 |
| Night by night bides there to watch and listen, | |
| Though death lurks behind each dark rock round. | |
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| So the bells of memory’s wonder-city | |
| Peal for me their old melodious chime! | |
| So my heart pours forth a changeful ditty, | 15 |
| Sad and pleasant, from the bygone time. | |
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| Domes and towers and castles, fancy-builded, | |
| There lie lost to daylight’s garish beams,— | |
| There lie hidden till unveiled and gilded, | |
| Glory-gilded, by my nightly dreams! | 20 |
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| And then hear I music sweet upknelling | |
| From many a well-known phantom band, | |
| And, through tears, can see my natural dwelling | |
| Far off in the spirit’s luminous land! | | | |
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