MOTHER OVER HER DEAD SON
Where art thou flying? Where, oh where? My falcon? To what silent land and lone? Say, hero mine! Around thy friends and brothers ask me: How shall I answer them! "Where goes Perko? Tell us, Mother!" Woe to me, oh woe to me! If I answered, I might blame thee! How blame thee? Alway thou askedst me: May I go here—or should I stay? I knew thy way! But now thou askedst not; nor may I give thee "Yea" or "nay,"— O blank, blank day! Better, child, I went to thee, than to stay As mother here Having lost the light of day! J. W. W.
CXXIX
MOTHER'S LAMENT FOR HER SON
Wherefore do I marvel, wherefore need I wonder? Traveller the dearest! That through this lower world already thou hast sped, Ray of light the fleetest! Together we'd a little talk, but we looked for more, Thou my golden store! To the realms of heaven thou from earth art gone, Thou my heaven and earth! Thou thy flight hast taken, sure, to a land of flowers, Dearest of my flowers! Thy journey leadeth up to God, unto the blest in Paradise, Thou my Paradise! Thou shalt behold the Judgment Place, Merciful my son! Soon shalt reach those halls of rest, Thou who gav'st me labour! There shalt find the noble dead, Thou my sweetest life! Greet them all, the rich and poor, Best of all my riches! Salute the noblemen and princes. Thou my prince of princes! J. W. W.
CXXX
GREATEST GRIEF FOR A BROTHER
O'er Neven woods the sun went down, The sun went down behind the forest, As came the heroes off the sea. The young wife counted anxiously, The wife of George the Hospodar, Counted the warriors, found them all, Save her three treasures who were missing. She could not find her Hospodar Nor the best man at their wedding, And the third treasure was not there; This treasure was her dearest brother. For her brave lord she cuts her tresses, For her best man she wounds her cheeks, And for her brother puts out both her eyes. She cuts her hair, it grows again; She wounds her cheeks, the wounds do heal; But none can heal those hurt blind eyes, Nor yet her heart for her lost brother. J. W. W.