Le Serment
Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan
For them whom Thou lovest
By promise—sacred and profane—
You bind and seal Yourself to me.
Then sundered, now we cleave, remain,
by promise—sacred and profane.
We wrestle on, lift up, maintain;
we sway beneath the linden tree....
By promise—sacred and profane—
I bind and seal myself to Thee.
You bind and seal Yourself to me.
Then sundered, now we cleave, remain,
by promise—sacred and profane.
We wrestle on, lift up, maintain;
we sway beneath the linden tree....
By promise—sacred and profane—
I bind and seal myself to Thee.
Editor’s Notes
- Like The Pilgrimage, this poem is also a triolet.
- The poem may be thought to have multiple meanings, some of which include elements of the concept of the sacred and profane. The tension between the sacred and profane, as used within the work itself, also hint at the dual nature (mundane, but also sacred) of the serment. Careful readers may observe the use of words having specific connotations, including possible religious meanings, and even esotericism. The editor encourages you to explore these ideas.
- The linden tree has important symbolic meanings in various cultures. (See also: the other Spider Stories & Poems, which include The Linden Letters, 1 and 2.)
- The dek is taken from the Lutheran hymn, “Was Gott tut, das ist wohlgetan.”
- The dedication is borrowed from John Donne’s “A Litany.”
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