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Download “Longfellow’s Bridge” on your favorite music app HERE.
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Longfellow’s Bridge (Lyrics)
lyrics by Gunny Markefka, inspired by Henry
Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem (after lyrics)
I stood on the bridge at midnight
As the clocks were striking the hour
And the moon rose o’ver the city
Behind the dark church-tower
I saw her bright reflection
In the waters under me
Like a golden goblet falling
And sinking into the sea
And far in the hazy distance
Of that lovely night in June
The blaze of the flaming furnace
Gleamed redder than the moon
And like those waters rushing
Among the wooden piers
A flood of thoughts came o’er me
That filled my eyes with tears
How often, oh, how often
In the days that had gone by
I had stood on that bridge at midnight
And gazed on that wave and sky
How often, oh, how often
I had wished that the ebbing tide
Would bear me away in its bosom
O’er the ocean wild and wide
For my heart was hot and restless
And my life was full of care
And the burden laid upon me
Seemed greater than I could bear
But now it has fallen from me
It is buried in the sea
And only the sorrow of others
Throws its shadow over me
When I think of many thousands
Of care-encumbered men
Each bearing the burden of sorrow
Have crossed the bridge since then
I see the long procession
Still passing to and fro
The young heart hot and restless
The old subdued and slow
How often, oh, how often
In the days that had gone by
I had stood on that bridge at midnight
And gazed on that wave and sky
How often, oh, how often
I had wished that the ebbing tide
Would bear me away in its bosom
O’er the ocean wild and wide
And forever and forever
As long as the river flows
As long as the heart has passions
As long as life has woes
The moon and its broken reflection
And its shadows shall appear
As the symbol of love in heaven
And its wavering image here
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Original poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The Bridge
I stood on the bridge at midnight,
As the clocks were striking the hour,
And the moon rose o’er the city,
Behind the dark church-tower.
I saw her bright reflection
In the waters under me,
Like a golden goblet falling
And sinking into the sea.
And far in the hazy distance
Of that lovely night in June,
The blaze of the flaming furnace
Gleamed redder than the moon.
Among the long, black rafters
The wavering shadows lay,
And the current that came from the ocean
Seemed to lift and bear them away;
As, sweeping and eddying through them,
Rose the belated tide,
And, streaming into the moonlight,
The seaweed floated wide.
And like those waters rushing
Among the wooden piers,
A flood of thoughts came o’er me
That filled my eyes with tears.
How often, O, how often,
In the days that had gone by,
I had stood on that bridge at midnight
And gazed on that wave and sky!
How often, O, how often,
I had wished that the ebbing tide
Would bear me away on its bosom
O’er the ocean wild and wide!
For my heart was hot and restless,
And my life was full of care,
And the burden laid upon me
Seemed greater than I could bear.
But now it has fallen from me,
It is buried in the sea;
And only the sorrow of others
Throws its shadow over me.
Yet whenever I cross the river
On its bridge with wooden piers,
Like the odor of brine from the ocean
Comes the thought of other years.
And I think how many thousands
Of care-encumbered men,
Each bearing his burden of sorrow,
Have crossed the bridge since then.
I see the long procession
Still passing to and fro,
The young heart hot and restless,
And the old subdued and slow!
And forever and forever,
As long as the river flows,
As long as the heart has passions,
As long as life has woes;
The moon and its broken reflection
And its shadows shall appear,
As the symbol of love in heaven,
And its wavering image here.
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Guntbert “Gunny” Markefka is a singer-songwriter from Hannover, Germany. Since 2020 over 40 of his single releases have been released via the digital distribution label “GEMA Music-Hub.” His Great Poetry Songs can be heard here. He earned his Ph.D. at Hannover University, developed world patents in the area of Natural Language Understanding Technologies during his 20+ year career at T-Mobile / Deutsche Telekom, and served as an international director on the board of various telecom associations. Since 2020 he has been a member of the Society of Classical Poets.
A haunting song and a haunting poem. Nicely done, Gunny.
Don’t give up your day-job, Gunny, but please still lend us productions from your spare time.