Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Germany: Vols. XVII–XVIII. 1876–79.
The German the Dearest
By Aloys Wilhelm Schreiber (17611841)O
The German land ’s the land for me;
Bedewed with Heaven’s blessing;
And though nor gold nor jewels rare,
Good store of men and maidens fair,
And corn and wine, possessing.
The German tongue ’s the tongue for me;
Sweet sounds it may not borrow:
But when our hearts would hold discourse,
We ne’er shall find it lacketh force
To tell of joy or sorrow.
The German maid ’s the maid for me;
A beauteous violet seeming;
With sweetest fragrance to the sense,
With not a thorn to give offence,
Through many a summer beaming.
The German wife ’s the wife for me;
In form and mind a treasure.
At home her ministry is seen;
She will not roam abroad, I ween,
To find elsewhere her pleasure.
The German customs give to me,—
Good customs,—I revere them.
Through them men, hale in heart and limb,
Alternate sense with wit and whim,
And keep the wine-cup near them.
That cometh from our German Rhine,
To every heart’s elation;
Long live our German fatherland!
Long live of love and truth the band
In our Confederation!