Reciprocal Invitation To The Dance

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 1749 (Frankfurt) – 1832 (Weimar)



THE INDIFFERENT.

COME to the dance with me, come with me, fair one!

Dances a feast-day like this may well crown.
If thou my sweetheart art not, thou canst be so,

But if thou wilt not, we still will dance on.
Come to the dance with me, come with me, fair one!

Dances a feast-day like this may well crown.

THE TENDER.

Loved one, without thee, what then would all feast be?

Sweet one, without thee, what then were the dance?
If thou my sweetheart wert not, I would dance not.

If thou art still so, all life is one feast.
Loved one, without thee, what then would all feasts be?

Sweet one, without thee, what then were the dance?

THE INDIFFERENT.

Let them but love, then, and leave us the dancing!

Languishing love cannot bear the glad dance.
Let us whirl round in the waltz's gay measure,

And let them steal to the dim-lighted wood.
Let them but love, then, and leave us the dancing!

Languishing love cannot bear the glad dance.

THE TENDER.

Let them whirl round, then, and leave us to wander!

Wand'ring to love is a heavenly dance.
Cupid, the near one, o'erhears their deriding,

Vengeance takes suddenly, vengeance takes soon.
Let them whirl round, then, and leave us to wander!

Wand'ring to love is a heavenly dance.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:08 min read
55

Quick analysis:

Scheme A Bx xA B c Dx xc D E Df xE D F De xF D
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,194
Words 224
Stanzas 16
Stanza Lengths 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1, 2, 2, 1

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer and politician. more…

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