THE EIKER SONG FROM 1756

Notification from the Eiker Parnassus
(Translated from Danish)

From Eiker’s lofty Muses' choir,
A stern decree resounds entire:
"A warning now to all the town:
No verses here with shameful frown!
No poetry of such disgrace
Shall dare pollute our sacred place.
Beware! If someone pens such trash,
They’ll feel our wrath descend in flash!

No mean-spirited rhymes or jaded tone
Shall ever reach Apollo’s throne.
Though Grubler's pen might stir the street,
Or Skildrer’s jest the folk repeat,
No sulky soul nor grumpy song
Will mingle in our artful throng.

We seek no lines of wrinkled spite,
Nor joyless scribes who dread the light.
The world is dark and grim enough—
Why spread more shade with solemn stuff?
But let the breeze through birches play,
Let sunlight cheer the hills of May.
Let happiness in verses dwell,
Where warmth and friendship rise and swell!"

Thus speaks the Muse, her word is law—
A cheerful tone must strike with awe.
So bend your rhyme with joy and grace,
Let kindness fill the metered space.
Then you may knock upon our gate—
A smile will be your welcome fate.