| Higginson and Bigelow, comps. American Sonnets. 1891. | | | | To Nannette Falk-Auerbach | | By Sidney Lanier (1842–1881) |
| | | OFT as I hear thee, wrapt in heavenly art, | |
| The massive message of Beethoven tell | |
| With thy ten fingers to the people’s heart | |
| As if ten tongues told news of heaven and hell,— | |
| Gazing on thee, I mark that not alone, | 5 |
| Ah, not alone, thou sittest: there, by thee, | |
| Beethoven’s self, dear living lord of tone, | |
| Doth stand and smile upon thy mastery. | |
| Full fain and fatherly his great eyes glow: | |
| He says, “From Heaven, my child, I heard thee call | 10 |
| (For, where an artist plays, the sky is low): | |
| Yea, since my lonesome life did lack love’s all, | |
| In death, God gives me thee: thus, quit of pain, | |
| Daughter, Nannette! in thee I live again.” | | | | |
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