LITHUANIA

The Nemunas flows in strong repose
  And waters our native soil.
Birute's song in our brother's tongue
  Can lighten the ploughman's toil.
    As our rivers cross the eternal strand,
    So shall our songs resound in every land.

Where the jewels gleam, where the rue is green
  And graces a maiden's wreath,
Where the cuckoo's cry fills the forest high,
  Our cottages stand on the heath.
    Where the rue blooms and speckled birds rejoice,
    There our mother awaits the wonderer's voice.

When the sun of spring scatters shades from the ling,
  When the hay meets the reeper's hand,
When the stubble-corn is all cold and torn –
  Ever fair is our native land.
    In  winter's snows, in summer's ecstasy,
    None is dearer, lovelier than thee.

In the sun's bright rays or in clouded days
  Our heart returns to our home,
Where our fathers rest and their memory is blest,
  Where our sweat has watered the loam.
    In joy and hardship, quietude and strife,
    Be the land beloved more than life.

There the boyars rode to their Prince's abode
  And made the Teuton flee.
Our homage is due and our hearts are true
  To the land of our liberty.
    In her cause our fathers strove and bled,
    In her cause our blood shall yet be shed.

May the Lord of grace defend the place
  Where the bones of our ancestors lie.
May Thy powerful hand protect the land
  Where Thy children suffer and die.
    Shed still upon our home Thy mercy's light;
    Still hear us, Lord of everlasting might.

Translated by Rafael Sealey
(Very loose translation)


TRAKAI CASTLE

With lichen and mould overgrown all around
A time-honoured castle there looms!
Its true high-born rulers now sleep below ground, 
Yet Trakai outlasted their tombs. 
While centuries run, its grim ruins grow older, 
Deserted and lonely, they gradually moulder.

When over the castle the wind bursts to moan 
The lake lying round climbs its walls: 
A wave rides a wave, and a mouldering stone 
Works loose and submissively falls. 
The towers keep crumbling and day after day 
So many a heart fill with gloom and dismay.

Old castle! Long centuries echoed your name!
Great men rose to glory with you!
You saw the Great Vytautas' power and fame, 
His regiments on a review.
Where is now your might that was dazzling with glory? 
Where is your antiquity lauded in story?

You walls, dark and ruinous, covered with grime, 
Defenceless, unpeopled and dumb! 
I tenderly fancy your most precious time 
You've had in the centuries' run! 
Invaluable time! Shall we see your revival?
Or shall you like youth just in dreams find survival?

Each time when through Trakai I happen to go 
With pain my heart bitterly cries.
A sorrowful tear down my cheek starts to flow 
And suddenly clouds my blue eyes. 
In vain my poor heart tries to seek consolation, 
All round I see darkness and bleak desolation.

Translated by Lionginas Pažūsis


FROM BIRUTE HILL

Rolling wind-driven breakers ashore from the west,
Splash my breast with the chill of your waves, or to me
Grant your power with which my own heart could express
All its strivings as grandly as you, Baltic Sea!

How I longed for you, infinite one! How I yearned
Just to hear your mysterious voices resound!
You alone understand me, because you have scorned
Through the ages to silence your breakers unbound!

Are you sad? So am I! And I do not know why;
I just pray all the storms to howl louder for me:
Though they offer no tranquil forgetfulness, I
Always strive to be closer to you, Baltic Sea!

And I wish for a friend who will help me to brave
All the storms of my heart which I try to defy,
Who shall not be a dark look my secret betray
And remain through the ages as restless as I.

Translated by Lionginas Pažūsis


I'LL VANISH LIKE SMOKE

I'll vanish like smoke drifting up in the air,
And no one will miss me at all!
Like thousands who lived once and sank in despair, 
Whose names now can no one recall!

Like waves of the seas or a man's restless thought 
This world's deeds are changing with time!
Where's Sardis? Or Athens? The Romans who sought 
To reach in their works the sublime?

Then what is my misery or inspiration? 
Those flashes revealing my soul?
A stir of my blood or my heart's trepidation – 
The grave soon will swallow it all!

My songs soon will die! Yet a fond aspiration 
Will make other poets fly high! 
The same distant star will arouse admiration, 
They'll suffer bedazzled like I!

And what is the glory in song so exalted?
A shadow that's tuning along!
When man is no more, all the dreams he has haunted
Will fade soon like thick crimson dawn!

Translated by Lionginas Pažūsis


THE EARTH IS SLEEPING

The earth is sleeping. Yet the sky
With its bright silver eyes is gleaming. 
The wings of slumber rustling by
Can't lull a youthful heart to dreaming.

The night won't lull the star to sleep.
The heart won't cease to crave for blessings. 
Who knows for what the soul can seek 
When it is lost in reminiscence?

A glowing sunrise golden-dressed
Will dim away the night-time sparklers. 
Alas, the heart will never rest,
No ray of hope will pierce its darkness...

Translated by Lionginas Pažūsis


SPRING

The bright sun of springtide rose up and from high 
It smiles melting hearts with delight. 
The larks have already ascended the sky 
And merrily chant in their flight.

The earth has awakened! Away in the fields
The breeze roams caressing your breast.
Bright flowers have flooded the meadows and fields 
And twine into garlands with zest.

With spring comes a hope lighting up every face. 
The heart yearns for love and its bliss. 
It tempts me to clasp all the world in embrace 
And give it a rapturous kiss.

Translated by Lionginas Pažūsis


NEWS HAS COME

"News has just come in from Prussia:
   Saddle up your horse!
Knights are heading for our country
   With a mighty force.
Don't you worry, little sister! Please be of good cheer:
I'll return live, hale and hearty to my homeland dear.

"Great are the Crusaders' riches:
   Spires of beaten gold
Grace the towers of their cities,
   Silks their coffers hold.
I'll bring back a Prussian sword. A silken scarf I'll bring.
Sister dear, you'll have the scarf, a golden belt and ring."

"Spring has come again already.
   Hear the lark in flight!
But there's no news of the fellow
   Who went off to fight.
When the sun set, battle raged. A lot of blood was shed.
There my love fought for his country, there my love fell dead.

"All my friends are singing blithely,
   Dressed in silks that gleam.
As for me, I'm always crying
   And of graves I dream.
Dear love, no endearments shall I hear you whispering.
On my slender finger you shall set no golden ring!"

Translated by Peter Tempest


SUMMER NIGHTS

Peaceful charm of summer nights,
Not a leaf in treetop stirs.
All is tranquil, all is quiet –
Peace that only stars disturb.

All is sleaping, all is quiet,
Dreams of love the world enfold.
Full of yearning, dreams inspired
Lull the heart, the heart console.

Summer nights of peaceful charm,
Grieving hearts with rest you lure!
Grief galore the earth endures...
Only you breathe peace and calm.

Peace and calm! With magic force
You send Nature off to sleep.
Can't you soothe my wild desires?
What should I feel anguish for?

All the world I would embrace,
I would love Almighty God,
Lasting Beauty I would grasp!
What am I despairing of?

Translated by Peter Tempest


EVENING ON THE LAKE
OF THE FOUR FOREST CANTONS

Chilly lake breezes rippled the waters
Of emerald green
And with no oarsman drove the boat forward
As if in a dream.

Slowly the Alpine sunset was fading;
The bells of Lucerne
Man's load of troubles and those of Nature
To Heaven returned.

Scorched in the blazing sun russet foliage
Sparkled with dew.
Down from the mountains health-giving roses
Their sweet perfume blew.

Into my golden dreams I lay weaving
The rays of the sun;
My thoughts went soaring, earth gladly leaving
Down sky-roads to run.

Starlit the path was down which they hurried,
My heart followed too,
To my forefathers' country beloved
So far now from view.

How many faces, happenings, places
In memory rose,
And bright as dawning shone from beyond where
The boundary goes.

Where below windows climbing nasturtiums
So eagerly stare,
Where hosts of dahlias gaily are twirling
Red hats in the air.

There where my sisters' plaits in the morning
With sweet rue are tied,
Where brother's horse is ready by autumn
To sadle and ride.

Where the Dubysa smoothly is flowing,
With blueness unique...
Why, little teardrop, why are you rolling
And wetting my cheek?

There I spent happy years that I treasure,
The years of my youth.
Now I am sadly wondering whether
It happened in truth.

How many faces, happenings, places
In memory rose
And bright as dawning shone from beyond where
The boundary goes!

Translated by Peter Tempest


JŪRATĖ AND KASTYTIS

The sun is sinking in the west,
Turn back, Kastytis, in a hurry! 
Your dear old mother finds no rest, 
She will be wearing down with worry 
Until she sees your flapping sails 
Approaching on the foaming waves.

	But Kastytis
	Will not listen!
	He's astounded by sea treasures. 
	Though the blushing sun is setting, 
	Playful fish he keeps on netting, 
	Musing over youthful pleasures.

The stars on high serenely shine.
The waters slowly surge and splatter. 
But – lo! – emerging from the brine 
Appears the beautiful Jūratė: 
As white as foam, lit up with gleam, 
Below her waist all clad in green.

	"Hey, Kastytis,
	Fellow sweetest,
	Don't you think you are immodest? 
	Why do you at night again 
	Cast your nets in my domain? 
	I'm Jūratė, a sea-goddess."

Yet for the goddess to admire
The lad was far from turning coward: 
His beaming eyes kept flashing fire, 
His figure radiated power;
He caught his breath, then took an oar 
And steered his small boat straight to her.

	When she took
	A better look
	At this giant, young and smart, 
	She forgot her innocence 
	And divine magnificence, 
	Fell in love with all her heart.

A wrecking wind began to blow.
The heavens rose in indignation 
And burst upon the sea below,
When conquered by the sweet temptation 
Jūratė rushed to his embrace 
And softly touched Kastytis' face.

	He's excited
	And delighted
	Living in the world of wonder 
	With Jūratė by his side 
	Sweetly kissing his blue eyes 
	In the palace of bright amber.

On seeing this from high above
The mighty Thunder was offended: 
How dare a mortal fall in love
And touch the goddess, pure and tender! 
The amber palace in a flash 
Was by a streak of lightning smashed.

	And Kastytis,
	Fellow sweetest,
	While the thunderstorm was dying, 
	Kissed and fondled by the wave 
	Lifeless came to land again –
	To the beach where pines were sighing.

Just listen sometimes late at night
When restless waves grow sad and sombre 
And from the seabed out of sight 
They strew the shore with bits of amber; 
Deep in the heavy mist and foam 
You're sure to hear a sobbing moan.

	All this moaning,
	All this groaning
	Is Jūratė's lamentation
	For Kastytis, her sweet lover, 
	And her palace lost forever, 
	Ruined by the god's damnation.

The Lithuanian girl today
Wishing her boy to stare with wonder 
Likes sometimes in her charming way 
To deck herself with beads of amber. 
But when a song of love she sings, 
As sad as a lament it rings.

	When concealing
	Her sweet feeling
	She can find no word to utter, 
	Yet she loves with deep emotion, 
	Sometimes stormy as an ocean, 
	Like the legendized Jūratė.

Translated by Lionginas Pažūsis

Born in a peasant family on the Pasandravis estate (his real name was Jonas Mačiulis), Maironis went to secondary school in Kaunas, studied literature for a time at Kiev University, graduated from the Kaunas Seminary in 1988 and from the St. Petersburg Catholic Theological Academy in 1892. He was a professor at the Academy, rector of the Kaunas seminary and lectured on literature at Kaunas University. His first poem was published in 1885. Maironis' poetry set the basic standards for modern Lithuanian poetry.