THE COLLECTED POEMS OF HENRIK IBSEN Translated by John ...

217
“And there his finest masterpiece was painted,
he painted cheeks whereon health’s roses stole,
two eyes that shone, their beaming joy untainted,
and then a smile that sang within the soul;
I soon saw I was surplus, a demotion
for your old doctor faced with such a cure;
his songs worked better far than any potion,
than even God’s own Nature-bath, that’s sure.
“But surplus? No, not really. For I spotted
and stopped him in his tracks one day, attired
in travelling gear, with rucksack packed and knotted,
reminded him of one thing still required, —
the thing you two forgot while dream’s rampage meant
that fun and games had left you comatose;
what was that thing? Well, it was your engagement; —
and why? He had forgotten to propose.
“Forgotten to propose and you to answer;
the hour you needed, that was granted you;
no doubt you thought it some extravaganza,
a fête to last day-long the summer through.
You thought? No, no you failed to think completely;
about your future home thought least of all;
your lips, your glances laughed, your souls sang sweetly, —
the weeks went by in endless festival.
“So, it seemed up to me, then, as things stood;
on his part I proposed, on yours accepted,
and joined your hands together, paired for good,
and thereby it was all arranged, effected.
And then the party, three days long from starting,
and then we saw the young pair on their way;
now, friends, farewell’s stroke tolls the time of day;
for here, from him and her, we must be parting.
“It will be calm again quite soon, our valley,
only the stream will sing, its old refrain,
the sun will sink, the swallow will not dally,
mere echoes of our memories will remain.
The hedge and hazel will turn gold, come fall,
the mead and marsh grow stiff to winter’s whiteness, —
one night, the leas and slopes will share one pall, —
but you will enter bliss’s summer brightness.
“But first you’ve silent peaks here that need clearing,
then steeply down to meet the fjord’s west bay.
There waits your Egir’s steed, you’ll go careering
full steam ahead for home and wedding day;
it’s for the South together you’ll be headed,
like youthful swans upon their maiden flight;