by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861)
Translation by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
Yes, call me by my pet‑name! let me hear
Language: English
Yes, call me by my pet-name! let me hear The name I used to run at, when a child, From innocent play, and leave the cowslips plied, To glance up in some face that proved me dear With the look of its eyes. I miss the clear Fond voices which, being drawn and reconciled Into the music of Heaven's undefiled, Call me no longer. Silence on the bier, While I call God -- call God! -- so let thy mouth Be heir to those who are now exanimate. Gather the north flowers to complete the south, And catch the early love up in the late. Yes, call me by that name, -- and I, in truth, With the same heart, will answer and not wait.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), no title, appears in Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 33, first published 1847 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864 - 1942), "Yes, call me by my pet-name!", published 1910 [ medium voice and piano ], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 33 [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926) , no title, appears in Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 33, first published 1908 ; composed by Maria Bach, as Emilie Maria von Bach.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-24
Line count: 14
Word count: 122
Nenn mich, wie sie als Kind mich riefen:...
Language: German (Deutsch)  after the English
Nenn mich, wie sie als Kind mich riefen: ja. Wie war das selig: diesem Namen nah sein; vom Blumensuchen ließ ich dann und sah in einem Angesicht mein ganzes Dasein zärtlich gespiegelt. Wie vermiß ich sie, diese geliebten Stimmen, die mich nie mehr rufen, mit den Himmeln sich verklärend seit jenem Schweigen auf der Bahren, während mir zufiel Gott zu rufen. - Deinen Mund laß ihn den Erben sein der Abgelebten. Nimm kleine Blumen zu den südlich reichen und frühe Liebe in die späte, und dann ruf mich so: ich werde mit dem gleichen Herzen dir Antwort geben, dem durchbebten.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926), no title, appears in Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 33, first published 1908 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), no title, appears in Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 33, first published 1847
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Maria Bach (1896 - 1978), as Emilie Maria von Bach, "Nenn' mich, wie sie mich als Kind riefen", 1939 [ medium voice and piano ], from Fünf Sonette, no. 1, Wiener Stadt- und Landesbibliothek  [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-02-19
Line count: 14
Word count: 100