I. The waters are flashing, The white hail is dashing, The lightnings are glancing, The hoar-spray is dancing -- Away! The whirlwind is rolling, The thunder is tolling, The forest is swinging, The minster bells ringing -- Come away! The Earth is like Ocean, Wreck-strewn and in motion: Bird, beast, man and worm Have crept out of the storm -- Come away! II. Our boat has one sail, And the helmsman is pale; -- A bold pilot I trow, Who should follow us now, -- Shouted he -- And she cried: Ply the oar! Put off gaily from shore! -- As she spoke, bolts of death Mixed with hail, specked their path O'er the sea. And from isle, tower and rock, The blue beacon-cloud broke, And though dumb in the blast, The red cannon flashed fast From the lee. III. And Fear'st thou? and Fear'st thou? And Seest thou? and Hear'st thou? And Drive we not free O'er the terrible sea, I and thou? One boat-cloak did cover The loved and the lover -- Their blood beats one measure, They murmur proud pleasure Soft and low; -- While around the lashed Ocean, Like mountains in motion, Is withdrawn and uplifted, Sunk, shattered and shifted To and fro. IV. In the court of the fortress Beside the pale portress, Like a bloodhound well beaten The bridegroom stands, eaten By shame; On the topmost watch-turret, As a death-boding spirit, Stands the gray tyrant father, To his voice the mad weather Seems tame; And with curses as wild As e'er cling to child, He devotes to the blast, The best, loveliest and last Of his name!
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 - 1822), "The Fugitives", first published 1824 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Hélène Heale (b. 1855), "The storm", published 1899, from Twelve Easy Rounds, no. 9 [sung text not yet checked]
- by D. Cyril Jenkins (1885 - 1978), "Storm-Song", published 1954 [ SSA chorus and piano ], also set in Welsh (Cymraeg) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Boleyne Reeves , "The fugitives", published 1861 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Julius Seybt ; composed by Robert Schumann.
- Also set in Welsh (Cymraeg), a translation by T. H. Parry-Williams ; composed by D. Cyril Jenkins.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Utečenci", Prague, J. Otto, first published 1901
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-08-18
Line count: 64
Word count: 264
I Der Hagel klirrt nieder, Es leuchten die Wogen, Die Blitze rings sprühen, Der Schaum kommt geflogen - Fort! Fort! Der Donner laut kracht, Die Wälder all' stöhnen, Der Sturmwind rings braust Die Glocken ertönen - Fort! Fort! Die Erd' gleich dem Meere Wankt trümmerbedeckt, Thier und Mensch sind entfloh'n Von dem Sturm erschreckt -- Fort! Fort! II "Der Steur'mann erbleicht, Nur ein Segel hat's Boot, Wer zu folgen jetzt wagte, Wär' ein kühner Pilot!" (Rief er.) (Und sie rief:) "Greif zum Ruder, Stoß' kühn vom Gestad!" Und Hagel und Kugeln Bestreu'n den Pfad Über's Meer. Die Leuchtfeuer glüh'n Von Klippen und Thurm: Das Geschütz stumm blitzt, Erstickt von dem Sturm Von seewärts her. III "Und siehst du, und hörst du? Und banget dein Sinn? Und jagen wir frei nicht Über's Meer dahin, Ich und du?" Ein Schiffsmantel deckt Die Liebenden beide; Ihr Herz schlägt vereint In stolzer Freude, Sie flüstern sich zu. (Wie wankende Berge Das Meer, sturmumwettert, Wird gewälzt und gehoben, Zerklüftet, zerschmettert Sonder Ruh.) IV In dem Schloßhof, neben Der Pförtnerin, gleich Geschlagenem Bluthund, Steht der Bräutigam, bleich Vor Scham. Ein todkündend Gespenst, Steht auf oberstem Thurm Ein Greis, und vor seiner Stimme der Sturm Scheint zahm. Auf die Letzte und Schönste Seines Stammes zur Stunde Einen Fluch er ruft Wie aus Vaters Munde Nie kam!
Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in English by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 - 1822), "The Fugitives", first published 1824
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856), "Die Flüchtlinge", op. 122 (Zwei Balladen) no. 2 (1852/53) [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "De vluchters", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Claus-Christian Schuster [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2007-08-18
Line count: 64
Word count: 218