Trakl’s Song of Kaspar Hauser

By Scott Horton

for Bessie Loos

Truly he loved the sun, as it descended in purple from the hill

The paths in the woods, the singing blackbird

And the joy of the green.

He lived solemnly in the shadow of the tree

And his countenance was pure.

God spoke a tender flame unto his heart:

O Human!

Quietly he walked his way to the city in the evening;

The dark complaint fell from his mouth:

I want to be a rider.

But he was followed by bush and animal,

A house and a twilight garden with pale people

His murderer sought after him.

Spring and summer and a beautiful autumn

Of the righteous one, so soft his step

Drawing to the darkened rooms of the sleeping.

At night he remained alone with his star;

He saw the snow fall on bare branches

And in the fading light of the entrance way the shadow of the murderer.

In silver sank the unborne’s head.

–Georg Trakl, Kaspar Hausers Lied from Sebastian im Traum (1915) in: Georg Trakl Dichtungen und Briefe: historisch-kritische Ausgabe, vol. 1, p. 95 (S.H. transl.)