An Anthology of Czechoslovak Literature/Gaze of Death

For other English-language translations of this work, see Gaze of Death.

OTAKAR BŘEZINA

(b. 1868)

Gaze of Death

AT bed-sides, in dusk of forebodings, many a time, I know,
Before thy conquering gaze has my gaze been laid low.

In mine was frailness and yearning, flashing steel’s mirth in thine,
And in its mirror my own pondering I could divine.

To far-hidden, unknown cities, pale and bewildered it went
In gloom and polar nights with journeyings mute and forspent.

It stared with anguish of doubt, and the cold of eternal space
Its tortured and wearied limbs in a metal garb did enlace.

’Mid folds of vanishing shapes from thine eyes through misty rifts
As from bloom of a mystical tree snow was scattered in drifts,

And thickened and darkened, and quaffing of lustre it scoured and gnawed
At scars of my ponderings, as in flames it crimsonly thawed.

At bed-sides, in dusk of forebodings, many a time, I know
Before thy motionless gaze has my gaze been laid low.

As a sleep-walker lured from his bed, pallid, fettered and dumb
My dream do I follow, and me an Unknown’s promptings benumb.

And in wearied hands of my days, aquiver before me arise
Lights of funeral torches enkindled by thine eyes.
Secret Distances (1895)

This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original content.

Original:

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1930.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1929, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 95 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

Translation:

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published before January 1, 1930.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1970, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 54 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse