In my first book, Sam sings this song in the shower during his first, unbearably beautiful evening with Elli. Subsequently she chooses the song for his funeral. Utterly, heartbreakingly beautiful.
I listen to this song over and over, and it touches me deeply every time I hear it. What a remarkable family the Wainwrights are. I miss Kate, but I am thankful that she gave us two such wonderful voices in her children.
Trash Fire absolutely blew me away, especially the sad ending that was perfectly executed with this beautiful song. It will always be one of my favourite movies.
Silent thou art and patient, for they understand thee not, O noble being. However bright the sun, Downcast thy eyes and mute thy lips, Since vainly seekst thou here thy true companions, Tender of heart like thee. Not here can they be found. ------------------------ In my boyhood days Often a god would save me From the shouts and from the rods of men; Safe and good then I played With the orchard flowers And the breezes of heaven Played with me. And as you make glad The hearts of the plants When toward you they stretch Their delicate arms, So you made glad my heart, Father Helios, and like Endymion I was your darling, Holy Luna. O all you loyal, Kindly gods! Would that you knew how My soul loved you then. True, at that time I did not Evoke you by name yet, and you Never named me, as men use names, As though they knew one another. Yet I knew you better Than ever I have known men, I understood the silence of Aether, But human words I've never understood. I was reared by the euphony Of the rustling copse And learned to love Amid the flowers. I grew up in the arms of the gods. ------------------------------------- Now the child's calm trust is gone, and gone are youth and delight and love; but you, the suffering, the holy, look, you alone have remained, my homeland. And it's for that, to suffer with you, with you to share their joys that, dear one, you raise your sons, and when, unfaithful, far from you they wander astray, in their dreams remind them. -------------------------------- Holy spirits, you walk up there in the light, on soft earth. Shining god-like breezes touch upon you gently, as a woman's fingers play music on holy strings. Like sleeping infants the gods breathe without any plan; the spirit flourishes continually in them, chastely kept, as in a small bud, and their holy eyes look out in still eternal clearness. A place to rest isn't given to us. Suffering humans decline and blindly fall from one hour to the next, like water thrown from cliff to cliff, year after year, down into the Unknown. --------------------------------- I gazed upon men again, as if I, too, should be active and find pleasure among them. I heartily took part everywhere. Heavens! what a malicious pleasure it was that the proud eccentric had now become like one of them! how they took amusement in it - that hunger drove the deer of the forest to run into their poultry yard! -------------------------------- What solace good repute, when the chain galls me, When, surfeited with fame, my soul burns with desire? Weaklings! I thrive, I thrive, only where struggle calls me! Why would you rob me of my elemental fire? ------------------------ For it behooves us, poets, to stand firm With heads uncovered 'mid God's storms. The Father's radiance seize we in our hands, Passing the heavenly message down Enwrapped in song, To the people, our brothers. For pure-hearted are we, Like children, innocent our hands, The Father's radiance will not scorch them; And, though profoundly moved, Sharing in God's own pangs, Our imperishable hearts are undismayed. ----------------------- My mission is To celebrate higher things, and that is why God gave me speech and a grateful heart. ~ Hölderlin
