Lorelei Poem by Gert Strydom

(after Heinrich Heine)

In my thoughts a legend remains
about a beautiful young girl that sings crystal-clear
and every man that come into contact with her
is lured to destruction,

at a critical time attention is drawn away,
when she combs through her tresses,
her song sweeps a person away at the most dangerous place,
of her remains the loveliest impression

and the helmsman and every other man only see the young woman
that leaves them with beauty and a sorrowful song speechless
where a boat near to an l rock sails on the Rhine
and suddenly unexpectedly they run aground

but in my thoughts there is much more to this
where a young woman with confidence does lead a man astray,
where his attention is only on her and everything is going to hell,
and enraptured she leads him to another life.

Through all times this thing is noted down in history
and with me stays a young woman and in a dance she turns,
where she causes a king and a man of God to loose their heads,
while Salome exposes herself and step and turn.

[Poet's notes:"Die Lorelei" by Heinrich Heine.
Matthew14: 1-11.]