Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/211

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ALEXANDER PETŐFI A home of sadness-sad Hungaria l Where wilt thou find that lovely star 1 And now my taper flickers faintly, And midnight comes, but in the gleam, Faint as it is, I see a shadow Which half reveals a future dream. It briglitens as the daybreak brigh tens, Each flame brings forth a mightier flame ; Tilere stand two figures in the nimbus- Old Magyar honour-Magyar fame. O Magyars l look not on your fathers, But bid them hide their brows in night ; Your eyes are weak, those suns are dazzling, Ye cannot bear that blasting light. Time was those ancient, lionoured fathers, Could speak the threatening, th 1mdering word ; 'Twas lihe the tJursting of the stcwm-wind, And Europe, ali responsive, Ileard l Great was the Magyar Illetl-his country Honoured-his name a history Of glory--now a star e.rtinguished­ A fallen star in Magyar sea. 'Twas long ago_.:_the laurel garland Was round the Magyar forehead bound ; Shall fancy-eagle -pinioned-ever See Magyar hero-brow recrowned 1 That laurel crown so long has faded­ So long thy light has ceased to gleam ; Thy greainess seems a myth, thy story A fable of the past-a dream l Long liave mine eyes been dry and tearless, But now I weep, and can it be That these are dews of spring-the daruning Of brighter days for Hungary 1 197