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Title: Liederkranz

Author: Ulrich von Schlippenbach

Release date: February 21, 2007 [eBook #20637]
                Most recently updated: January 1, 2021

Language: German

Credits: Produced by Taavi Kalju and the Online Distributed
        Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was
        produced from scanned images of public domain material
        from the Tartu University Library at http://www.utlib.ee)


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LIEDERKRANZ ***




Produced by Taavi Kalju and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was
produced from scanned images of public domain material
from the Tartu University Library at http://www.utlib.ee)










Liederkranz.

_Dem Andenken_

_der_

verstorbenen Frau Herzogin

Dorothea von Kurland

_geweiht_

_von_

Ulrich Freyherrn von Schlippenbach.

_Mitau, 1821._
_Gedruckt bey J. F. Steffenhagen und Sohn._




        Ist zu drucken erlaubt.

    Dorpat,               Ritter D. Karl Morgenstern,
den 17ten November 1821.            Censor.




Sonnen Niedergang.


    Ein Frühlingstag mit hellem Sonnenleben
    Erwacht in blüthenreicher Flur,
    Und was der Himmel segnend ihr gegeben,
    Gab mütterlich ihm die Natur.
    Den lichten Glanz, die reiche Blumenfülle,
    Des reinsten Daseyns warmen Strahl,
    Des wolkenfreyen Himmels heil'ge Stille
    In einem heitren Frühlingsthal.
    O schöner Tag! der Erde aufgegangen,
    Um hell und licht in deinem Reiz zu prangen.

    Und wollen auch die Stürme sich erheben,
    Sie weichen vor des Lichtes Strahlenkranz,
    Und selbst des Abends kühle Schatten weben
    Den Schleyer nicht um _dieses_ Tages Glanz.
    Er sinkt, so wie er freundlich aufgegangen,
    Nur Abendroth zeigt sein Entschwinden an,
    Und wo die fernen Welten ihn empfangen,
    Beschließen Sterne seine Bahn;
    Selbst wenn schon nächtlich tiefe Dunkel wallen,
    Hört man Gebete lange noch erschallen.

    So war Dein Aufgang, so Dein Niedersinken,
    Du, Deines Landes holder Frühlingstag;
    Du zogst dahin, wo helle Sterne winken,
    Dahin, wo Deine rechte Heimath lag.
    Du schiedest, Fürstin, so von Deinem Throne,
    Wie von dem Leben, in dem höchsten Glanz,
    Und schimmernder als Deine Fürstenkrone
    War Deiner Anmuth Strahlenkranz;
    Dein Abendroth wird noch in Liebe glühen,
    Wenn tiefe Schatten _unsre_ Welt umziehen.




Phantasie.

[Zu dem Bilde der Erinnerung.[A]]


    Endlich hat mein Auge dich gesehen,
    Treues Bildniß der Erinnerung,
    Wie du schwebest aus des Himmels Höhen,
    Ewig blühend, ewig schön und jung.

    Ruhst auf mondeshellen Wolkensäumen,
    Hebst den zarten Schleyer, und dein Blick
    Wendet, wie erwacht aus süßen Träumen,
    Zu der Liebe Denkmal sich zurück.

    Und so tragen dich der Weste Schwingen
    Durch der Zeiten weite Kreise hin,
    Wo versunk'ne Bilder dich umringen,
    Bleicher Kränze deutungsvoller Sinn.

    Doch der Sehnsucht innigstes Empfinden
    Wendet deinen stillgesenkten Blick
    Noch einmal zu jenen Schattengründen
    In ein theures Jugendland zurück.

    Und ein Denkmal seh ich dort sich heben,
    Das Arkadien die Stäte nennt;
    Die Erinn'rung feyert hier ein Leben,
    Das sich nimmer von der Seele trennt.

    Weile, hohe Göttin, weile,
    O Erinn'rung! weile hier;
    Fliehe nicht mit rascher Eile,
    Unsre Seelen folgen dir.
    Nur auf deinen lichten Schwingen,
    Über Erde, Zeit und Tod,
    Wagt der Geist empor zu dringen
    Zu der Hoffnung Morgenroth.

[Fußnote A: Das bey der letzten Anwesenheit der Frau Herzogin von
Kurland im Jahre 1817 verfaßte Gedicht, nach einem Bilde der Erinnerung
in einem mehrere Gemälde enthaltenden Cahier, scheint wie in der
Vorahnung geschrieben zu seyn, daß die holde Fürstin zum Letztenmale ihr
Heimathland wiedergesehen habe, und sie selbst nun jenes holde Bild der
Erinnerung sey, welches der sinnige Maler so herrlich dargestellt
hatte.]




Erinnerung.


    Schwebst du nun selbst auf der Erinn'rung Höhen,
    Du schönes Bild, das uns so hold erschien;
    Willst wie ein süßer Traum vergehen,
    Und wie ein Strahl vorüberziehn?

    Willst Lichtgestalt dich weit erheben
    Zu ferner Welten besserm Glück?
    Nichts blieb als nur dein Erdenleben
    Und unsre Liebe uns zurück.

    So zieht die Wolke hin, doch Segen thaut sie nieder,
    Der in den Blüthen, die sie weckte, lebt,
    Und kehrt so selbst zur Erde wieder,
    Wo diese Himmelsfarben webt.




Die Kronen.


    Als jedes Herz Dein Jugendglanz entzückte,
    Und höher Dich der Schönheit lichter Tag
    Als jene Fürstenkrone schmückte,
    Die nahe Deiner Wiege lag;
    In jedes Glückes schimmerndem Geschmeide
    Umwallte da so rauschend Dich die Freude.

    Es hielt Dir Wort das glanzerfüllte Leben,
    Gabst Du ihm auch die Herrscherkrone hin;
    In jener helleren, die Schönheit Dir gegeben.
    Begrüßte Dich die Welt als Königin.
    Es durften Enkel Deine Knie umfahen,
    Doch nicht das Alter Deinem Reize nahen.

    Auch diese Krone nahm sich nun zum Raube
    Mit kalter bleicher Hand der Tod,
    Als abermals die schönere der Glaube
    Im hellen Strahlenschimmer bot.
    Im lichten Glanz, wie Dich die Welt empfangen,
    Bist mit der Krone Du zum Himmel eingegangen.




Im Schlosse zu Mitau neben der Fürstengruft.[B]


    Es neigte sich der Tag, und Nebelbilder zogen
    Hin an des Stromes grünen Uferrand;
    Ich blickte in die Tiefe blauer Wogen
    Vom Schlosse nieder, wo ich sinnend stand,
    Da war es mir, als stiegen viel Gestalten
    Aus nahem Grabgewölb' hervor,
    Die hin am Strome auf und nieder wallten,
    Nur halb verdeckt vom leichten Nebelflor,
    Gehüllt im Schmuck der fürstlichen Gewande,
    Wie sie die Vorzeit trug in diesem Lande.

    Der Ahnherr schritt im goldnen Panzerkleide
    Aus weitem Thor, von Geisterhand gesprengt,
    Ein rothes Kreuz war in dem Glanzgeschmeide
    Der Fürstenkrone strahlend eingesenkt;
    Und _Gotthard Kettler_ war's, den ich erkannte,
    Er legte seine Hand aufs todte Herz,
    Und als er seinen Blick zum Strome wandte,
    Sprach aus den bleichen Zügen Schmerz;
    Tief sinnend schaute er in Stromes Tiefen,
    Als hörte er auf Stimmen, die ihn riefen.

    Und _Friederich_ und _Jakob_ folgten weiter,
    Sie hatten Alle sich zum Strom gewandt,
    Der alten Fürsten ganze Stufenleiter
    Begrüßte das geliebte Erdenland.
    Im Geisterchor der Männer und der Frauen,
    Der am Gestade hier versammelt war,
    Stand auch ein Knabe, hold und schön zu schauen,
    Mit zartem goldgelockten Haar,
    Und diesen nur, mit jubelndem Entzücken,
    Sah ich zur weiten Ferne blicken.

    Da endlich, wo der Strom von Süden ziehend
    Zum Meere hin mit leichten Wogen wallt,
    Da schwebte hell in Engelreizen glühend
    Im Lichtgewande eine Huldgestalt;
    Sie nahte, und mit freudigem Entzücken
    Schloß sie den Knaben an verklärter Brust,
    Und Thränen thauten in den Geisterblicken,
    Sie kündeten der Wehmuth süße Lust.
    Bald hört' ich rauschend, wie der Blätter Fallen,
    Des Ahnherrn Worte am Gestade hallen:

    Tochter des Landes, das ich zum Lohne
    Ringend und kämpfend im Leben gewann,
    Trugst Du die letzte, die fürstliche Krone,
    Die wie ein Tropfen im Meere zerrann.

    Sind uns doch Allen die Würden zerflossen,
    Allen zertrümmert der irdische Thron,
    Treu doch bewahrten des Grabes Genossen
    Hier in dem Kreise den lieblichen Sohn.

    Schwebe mit ihm zu den strahlenden Welten,
    Theile mit ihm der Unsterblichkeit Kranz;
    Dort, wo die Kronen des Himmels nur gelten,
    Strahlet die Deine in ewigem Glanz.

    Ich blickte auf. Wie Töne leis' verhallen,
    Entflohn die Bilder; nur im Abendschein
    Sah _Dorothea_ ich zum Himmel wallen
    Mit Ihrem Sohn zum ewigen Verein.
    Da deutete ich der Erscheinung Träumen:
    Den Strom der Zeiten hatte ich gesehn,
    An dessen Ufer in den stillen Räumen
    Nur seliger Geister Schatten gehn. --
    Dahin, dahin, zu jenes Stromes Wogen,
    Bist, holde Fürstin, Du nun fortgezogen.

[Fußnote B: In dem wiederhergestellten Grabgewölbe der alten Fürsten
Kurlands ruhet auch der Erbprinz _Peter_, Sohn des letzten verstorbenen
Herzogs und dessen Gemahlin _Dorothea_, Reichsgräfin _von Medem_.]







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