I need help finding a poem please

[mynameiskaye]

I'm 55 years old and when I was in high school (about 38 years ago), we read a poem about a man riding his dying son through the woods on a horse to get to the doctor. Of course, it was very gothic and sad but for some reason I would like to read it again now that I'm grown (I didn't really want to think too much about it at the time). If anyone knows the title of this poem or can direct me to where I may find more information about it I would appreciate it. You can reach me at [email protected]. Thank you.

[JBI]

The Erking by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe seems to fit perfectly.

[JBI]

Who rides so late through night and wind?
It is the father with his child.
He has the little one well in the arm
He holds him secure, he holds him warm.

"My son, why hide your face in fear?"
"See you not, Father, the Erlking?
The Erlking with crown and flowing cloak?"
"My son, it is a wisp of fog."

"You sweet child, come along with me!
Such wonderful games I'll play with you;
Many lovely flowers are at the shore,
My mother has many golden garments."

"My father, my father, and do you not hear,
What the Erlking promises me so softly?"
"Be quiet, stay quiet, my child;
The wind is rustling the dry leaves."

"Won't you come along with me, my fine boy?
My daughters shall attend to you so nicely;
My daughters do their nightly dance,
And they will rock you and dance you and sing you to sleep."

"My father, my father, do you not see there,
Erlking's daughters in that dark place?"
"My son, my son, I see it definitely:
It is the willow trees looking so grey."

"I love you; I'm charmed by your beautiful shape;
And if you are not willing, then I will use force."
"My father, my father, now he has taken hold of me!
Erlking has hurt me!"

The father shudders, he rides swiftly,
He holds in arm the groaning child,
He reaches the farmhouse with effort and urgency;
In his arms, the child was dead.


note, this translation is mediocre at best.

[stlukesguild]

Christopher Middleton makes a much better go of it in volume 1 of the Princeton Goethe, The Collected Works: Selected Poems. This has long been a favorite poem of mine... and rather easy to read in the original... even with my middling German:

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,
Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.

"Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?"
"Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?
Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und Schweif?"
"Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif."

"Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir!
Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit dir;
Manch' bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand,
Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand."

"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht,
Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht?"
"Sei ruhig, bleib ruhig, mein Kind;
In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind."

"Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn?
Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;
Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn,
Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein."

"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort?"
"Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh es genau:
Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau."

"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch ich Gewalt."
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan!"

Dem Vater grauset's, er reitet geschwind,
Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind,
Erreicht den Hof mit Müh' und Not;
In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.

You might wish to check out more about the poem here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erlkonig

... and listen to Schubert's interpretation of the work performed by the inimitable Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5B6nysheec

[JBI]

I have a translation in my Goethe anthology, but this one was public domain (I stole it from Wiki).

[JBI]

You may be interested in this St.Lukes, Berlioz orchestration of Shubert's adaptation. Sung by Anne Sofie von Otter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdhRYMY6IEc&feature=related