An Appeal - Hermann Ling

Remember thou the debtor art 

Of poor men who lack everything,

 And who might claim from thee a part 

In all the gifts that earth can bring. 

If through thy life the streams of blessing 

In golden fulness gently glide, 

Let none about thy window pressing, 

Gaze on thy feast unsatisfied. 

Fright not the wild bird from his singing. 

Behind thee let some gleaning ears abide, 

And in thy vineyard leave some clusters clinging.

---

Hermann (Ritter von) Lingg (1820 – 1905) Germany

Translated by Lois Saunders

Source: Strangers and foreigners being translations from the French, Italian, German and Middle High German : done into English verse, Lois Saunders, Saunders, 1912