Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PILGRIMAGE TO KEVLAAR, by HEINRICH HEINE


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PILGRIMAGE TO KEVLAAR, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: The mother stood by the window
Last Line: "o mary, blessed be thou!"
Subject(s): Death; Hearts; Pilgrimages & Pilgrims; Sickness; Tears; Dead, The; Illness


1.

THE mother stood by the window,
The son in bed lay he.
"Wilt thou not rise up, William,
"The fair procession to see?" --

"I am so ill, my mother,
"I neither see nor hear;
"I think of my poor dead Gretchen,
"My heart is breaking near."

"Arise, let's go to Kevlaar,
"Take book and rosary too;
"The mother of God will heal thee,
"And cure thy sick heart anew."

In church-like tones they are singing,
The banners flutter on high;
At Cologne on the Rhine this happens,
The proud procession moves by.

The crowd the mother follows,
Her son she leadeth now,
And both of them sing in chorus:
"O Mary, blessed be thou!"

2.

THE mother of God at Kevlaar
Her best dress wears to-day;
Full much hath she to accomplish,
So great the sick folks' array.

The sick folk with them are bringing,
As offerings fitting and meet,
Strange limbs of wax all fashion'd,
Yes, waxen hands and feet.

And he who a wax hand offers,
Finds cured in his hand the wound,
And he who a wax foot proffers,
Straight finds his foot grow sound.

To Kevlaar went many on crutches
Who now on the tight rope skip,
And many a palsied finger
O'er the viol doth merrily trip.

The mother took a waxlight,
And out of it fashion'd a heart:
"My son, take that to God's mother,
"And she will cure thy smart."

The son took sighing the wax-heart,
Went with sighs to the shrine so blest,
The tears burst forth from his eyelids,
The words burst forth from his breast:

"Thou highly-favour'd blest one!
"Thou pure and godlike maid!
"Thou mighty queen of heaven,
"To thee my woes be display'd!

"I with my mother was dwelling
"In yonder town of Cologne,
"The town that many a hundred
"Fair churches and chapels doth own.

"And near us there dwelt my Gretchen.
"Who, alas! is dead to-day;
"O, Mary, I bring thee a wax-heart,
"My heart's wounds cure, I pray.

"My sick heart cure, O cure thou,
"And early and late my vow
"I'll pay, and sing with devotion:
"'O Mary, blessed be thou!'"

3.

THE poor sick son and his mother
In their little chamber slept,
The mother of God to their chamber
All lightly, lightly crept.

She bent herself over the sick one,
Her hand with action light
Upon his heart placed softly,
Smiled sweetly and vanish'd from sight.

The mother saw all in her vision,
Saw this and saw much more;
From out of her slumber woke she,
The hounds were baying full sore.

Her son was lying before her,
And dead her son he lay,
While over his pale cheeks gently
The light of morning did play.

Her hands the mother folded,
She felt she knew not how;
With meekness sang she and softly:
"O Mary, blessed be thou!"





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net