II
Long, long they have they tarried in thy gates, O North!
But now thou hast given them up. Lo, they come to us
once more—our belovèd, our only ones!
O dearest, why have ye stayed so long?
With ye, night and day have come and gone, but with
us there was night only.
But no, we will not reproach ye, hearts of our hearts,
dearest and best; our fathers, our children, our brothers,
our lovers!
Come back to us! Behold our arms are open for you;
ye are ours; ye have returned unto us; ye shall never go
hence again.
But why are ye silent, why do ye not stir, why do ye not
speak to us, O belovèd ones?
White are your cheeks like snow; your eyes they do not
look upon us.
So long ye have been gone, and is this your joy to see us
once more?
Lo! do we not welcome ye? Are not our souls glad?
Do not our tears, long kept, fall upon your faces?
Or do ye but sleep well, after those hard and weary
labors? O, now awaken, for ye shall take rest and pleasure;
here are your homes and kindred!
Listen, belovèd: here is your sister, here is your brother,
here is your lover!
