A voyage over water

Text by Heinrich Heine (1797-1856)

translated into English by Joseph Massaad

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I stood there leaning on the mast,
Counting every wave that went by.
" My ship is sailing far too fast!
Farewell my beautiful country, good-bye! "

I went past the house of my beloved,
The glass of its windows was glittering.
I looked as hard as I could,
But could see nobody there, waving.

O tears, keep clear of my eyes,
So that I could see clear and plain.
And you, sick heart, don’t break
Because of this enormous pain.