Queen Berngerd, The Bard and the Dreams, and Other Ballads
lamp the grave’s mystery shews, The bard will obey thee with joy.”

Again there appeared in the dreams of the stripling A being who held him intent; It came as in flood come the high billows rippling, Like billows when ebbing it went.

p. 19Though the look of an aged and slow female wearing, It ran like the breezes in spring time careering, Full often it vanished with threatening bearing. But suddenly caught he the fugitive wild, And then by his breast a maiden smil’d. “Thee often I’ve met on life’s journey,” he said, “And when like a meteor thou past me hast sped, I’ve seen thee look backward—and threaten.

p. 19

“O! kiss me, sweet maiden, ere on thou dost stray, I’ve seen thee with flowers strew the wanderer’s way. They lived in their brightness, When thou in this lightness, Had’st fled farthest off; and sometimes they became A Bauta-stone over the worm-wasted frame.

p. 20“Vouchsafe me a smile,” said the youth, “I entreat, I know thy course lightning-fleet. Thy light pinions ever Thou pliest, sweet giver Of palms, verdant palms, to the stripling so clever, Who caught thee, though lightning fleet.”

p. 20

Again to his eye a fair vision was given, A being angelical stood in the heaven. In morn’s fresh rose-hues drest Stood the spirit blest. As shines from above The starlet of love So kindled his glance toward earth’s gentle child. As the maid to her beckons the youth she loves dearly, When vespers are chiming and Luna shines clearly, So toward him beckoned the Angel, and smil’d.

p. 21With rapture the songster took thither his way, Where the winged one of heaven stood beauteous and gay. But, just as he hoped that the height was surmounted, Far distant again they each other confronted. And still the Angel beckoned there, But—never, never near. “My seraph! wilt ever avoid my embrace?”  —Said the songster with mortified mien— “But though I’m unable to climb to thy place, My eye thou hast blest from the mansions of grace, And thy heaven, thou distant, I’ve seen.”

p. 21

His slumber departed, his visions they fled, But oft when he harped they came into his head. “Blest, trebly blest, may our life be regarded, Far unto me hear threefold life is awarded.

p. 22“See the roselet departed, A smile from its tomb has darted. And the rose, which 
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