Eduard Mörike (Ludwigsburg, September 8, 1804 – June 4, 1875 in Stuttgart) was a German romantic poet. Ludwigsburg is a city in Germany, about 12 km north of Stuttgarts city center, by the river Neckar. ... September 8 is the 251st day of the year (252nd in leap years). ... 1804 is a leap year starting on Sunday. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (156th in leap years), with 210 days remaining. ... 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Stuttgart is a city located in southern Germany, it is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg, and has a population of approximately 600,000 as of June 2004. ... Romanticism was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in late 18th century Western Europe. ... Poetry (ancient Greek: poieo = create) is an art form in which human language is used for its aesthetic qualities in addition to, or instead of, its notional and semantic content. ...

He studied Theology at the Seminary of Tübingen, and followed the ecclesiastical career, becoming a Lutheran pastor and, after his early retirement for reasons of health, a lecturer in German literature. Theology is literally rational discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, rational discourse). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen (German Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen) is a state-supported university. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... A pastor is the head minister or priest of a Christian church. ... German literature comprises those literary texts originating within Germany proper and written in the German language. ...

He wrote the bildungsroman Maler Nolten ("The painter Nolten"), and lieder (songs) of great purity of form, which have been compared to those of Goethe. He also wrote the novella Mozart auf der Reise nach Prag ("Mozart's journey to Prague", 1855). A Bildungsroman is a novel which traces the spiritual, moral, psychological, or social development and growth of the main character from (usually) childhood to maturity. ... Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (pronounced [gø tə]) (August 26, 1749–March 22, 1832) was a German writer, politician, humanist, scientist, and philosopher. ... A novella is a short, narrative, prose fiction work. ... Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (January 27, 1756 – December 5, 1791) was one of the most significant and influential of all composers of Western classical music. ... Prague (Praha in Czech) is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. ... 1855 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

To find out about Eduard Mörike's lyrical competence some of his best known poems to follow (rhyming translations into English by Bertram Kottmann; copyright 2004):

Septembermorgen

Im Nebel ruhet noch die Welt,

noch träumen Wald und Wiesen:

Bald siehst du, wenn der Schleier fällt,

den blauen Himmel unverstellt,

herbstkräftig die gedämpfte Welt

in warmem Golde fließen.

September morning

In mist the quiet world is clad,

forest and meads still dreaming:

You’ll see soon, when the veil has set

the heavens blue and cloudless spread

the world by autumn’s power led

in golden warmness gleaming.

Um Mitternacht

Gelassen stieg die Nacht ans Land,

lehnt träumend an der Berge Wand,

ihr Auge sieht die goldne Waage nun

der Zeit in gleichen Schalen stille ruhn;

und kecker rauschen die Quellen hervor,

sie singen der Mutter, der Nacht, ins Ohr

vom Tage,

vom heute gewesenen Tage.

Das uralt alte Schlummerlied,

sie achtet’s nicht, sie ist es müd’;

ihr klingt des Himmels Bläue süßer noch,

der flüchtgen Stunden gleichgeschwung’nes Joch.

Doch immer behalten die Quellen das Wort,

es singen die Wasser im Schlafe noch fort

vom Tage,

vom heute gewesenen Tage.

At midnight

Night stepped on land at measured pace,

leans dreaming on the mountains’ face,

her eye beholds time’s golden pair of scales

completely balanced at that time of day.

More boldly the springs rush forth and they ring,

in the ear of the night, their mother, they sing

of the day,

of the day that was today.

That age-old, ancient lullaby,

it tires her, shuts ear and eye;

to her the heaven’s blue still sounds more sweet

and all the curvèd spans of hours that fleet.

But ever the springs their carols repeat,

the waters continually sing in their sleep

of the day,

of the day that was today.

Gebet

Herr! Schicke, was du willt,

ein Liebes oder Leides!

Ich bin vergnügt, daß beides

aus deinen Händen quillt.

Wollest mit Freuden

und wollest mit Leiden

mich nicht überschütten!

Doch in der Mitten,

liegt holdes Bescheiden.

Prayer

Send what You will, my Lord,

may it be love or sorrows!

I am content that both

from Thy dear hands do pour.

May You with love

and may You with sorrows

not overwhelm me!

For it’s the midway

where modesty grows.

Zum Neuen Jahr

Wie heimlicher Weise

ein Engelein leise

mit rosigen Flügeln

die Erde betritt,

so nahte der Morgen.

Jauchzt ihm, ihr Frommen,

ein heilig Willkommen!

Ein heilig Willkommen,

Herz, jauchze du mit!

In ihm sei’s begonnen,

der Monde und Sonnen

an blauen Gezelten

des Himmels bewegt.

Du, Vater, du rate!

Lenke du und wende!

Herr, Dir in die Hände

sei Anfang und Ende

sei alles gelegt.

To the New Year

So quietly, lowly

like angels that slowly

aurorally wingèd

set foot on the earth,

thus morning drew nearer.

Welcome godfearing

with joy its appearing!

Its holy appearing,

heart, welcome with mirth!

In Him all beginning

who reigns, ever spinning,

the moons’, suns’ and planets’

celestial parade.

You, Father, you counsel!

Be guide and defence!

Lord, into Thy hands

beginning and end,

the whole world be laid.

Er ist's

Frühling lässt sein blaues Band

wieder flattern durch die Lüfte;

Süße, wohlbekannte Düfte

streifen ahnungsvoll das Land.

Veilchen träumen schon,

wollen leise kommen.

- Horch von fern ein leiser Harfenton!

Frühling, ja du bist's!

Dich hab ich vernommen!

It's spring

Ribbons, blue, from Springtime’s hand

flutter now through Zephyr’s regence;

sweet and well remembered fragrance

ominously sweeps the land.

Violets dream-bound

prone to shy appearing.

- Hark, from far a gentle harping sound!

Springtime, yes, it’s you

that I have been hearing!