IF to her eyes’ bright lustre I were blind,
No longer would they serve my life to gild.
The will of destiny must be fulfilid,–
This knowing, I withdrew with sadden’d mind.
No further happiness I now could find:
The former longings of my heart were still’d;
I sought her looks alone, whereon to build
My joy in life,–all else was left behind.
Wine’s genial glow, the festal banquet gay,
Ease, sleep, and friends, all wonted pleasures glad
I spurn’d, till little there remain’d to prove.
Now calmly through the world I wend my way:
That which I crave may everywhere be had,
With me I bring the one thing needful–love.
1807?8.
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
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Based on Topics: Life Poems, World Poems, Mind Poems, Friendship Poems, Sleep Poems, Fate & Destiny Poems, Wine PoemsBased on Keywords: longings, wonted, genial, spurn, gild, wend, festal, sadden, still, life-all, fulfilid