ON OCEAN'S BOSOM Coolly they gaze into the eyes of Death; 261 They care not for the tempest's dangerous might; It seems as if the spectre Death himself 66 Had reared the two, in terror and dark night. Who are you, tell me, miserable men, That you can hide all sign of pain and dread— That even at the awful gates of death You have no sighs to breathe, no tears to shed? "Say, did graves give you birth, and do you leave 66 Do you "Have you no country and no fatherland, No friendly house, no home to which to go, That you have such contempt for life, and wait For the dark grave without a sign of woe? "No one in heaven have you on whom to call From trouble's depths, no God on whom to cry? Have you no nation, say, have you no faith? Ye wretched ones, what is your destiny?" Yawns the abyss, and loud the billows roar; "The graveyard dark was not our mother, nay, A mother dear, with heart of tenderness. "A mother fondled us, a loving breast Nurtured us, warm as any breast could be; A happy father also every day Gazed in our eyes and kissed us tenderly. "We had a home, but it has been destroyed; Our holy things were burned by murderous bands; Our best and dearest slain-dead bones are they; Those left were driven forth with fettered hands. Known is our country-oh! 'tis recognized With ease, alas! by ceaseless, bloody news Of baitings, beatings, burnings, riots wild, Death and destruction dealt to wretched Jews. "Jews, hapless Jews are we, without a friend, Ask us no more, no more! Leave us in peace. "To Russia, whence we fled; to Russia back, What good is life or this dark world to us? "Something you have to weep for; you have cause To murmur and fear death; you have a home To which to go; you left America Of your free choice, not forced by fate to roam. HYMN TO THE DEITY "We are forlorn and lonely like a rock; Tell me, I pray you, whither we are bound. "Let the wind storm, and let it howl with rage; Let the deep seethe and boil and roar around! We Jews are lost, however it may be; 263 The sea alone can quench our burning wound." MORRIS ROSENFELD Translation from the Yiddish by Alice Stone Blackwell 116 HYMN TO THE DEITY In the dim twilight of the leafy woods, O'er the wild desert's sandy solitude, Where the sirocco breathes its withering flame, And the lone traveller treads with wearied frame, Thou bringest his heart to Thee, Giver of Good; There the oasis springs, leafy and green, Like a sweet fairy isle, in slumber seen, Gladdening his heart when every hope was past, And every death-fraught moment seemed his last. Thou holdest the mighty thunder in Thy hand, As all inanimate creation bears; Let that instruct us in our daily prayers, And teach us how to raise our thoughts to Thee; In forest, desert, ocean, everywhere, Turn Thou the heart to Thee, O God! in prayer. REBECCA HYNEMAN 117 BE IT SO God supreme, to Thee I pray; What Thy wisdom may dictate O MY CREATOR, WHEN THY MIGHT 265 Friends may falsify my trust, Kindred also prove unjust, Wound my heart and chill its glow,- Warmth and comfort may decline; Yet from mercy's aid shall spring PENINA MOÏSE 118 O MY CREATOR, WHEN THY MIGHT O my Creator, when Thy might, The wisdom of Thy ways, The love, which sheds on all its light, I know not, while amazed I bow, My God, my Lord, my Father, Thou |