The Vampire - Heinrich August Ossenfelder

Poetry
K

Credited as the first modern vampire poem, "Der Vampir" caused a scandal when it was published in 1748. This short poem by Heinrich August Ossenfelder has strong erotic overtones: a man whose love is rejected by a respectable and pious maiden threatens to pay her a nightly visit, drink her blood by giving her the seductive kiss of the vampire and thus prove her that his teaching is better than her mother's Christianity.

My dear young maiden clingeth
Unbending, fast and firm
To all the long-held teaching
Of a mother ever true;
As in vampires unmortal
Folk on the Theyse's portal
Heyduck-like do believe.
But my Christine thou dost dally,
And wilt my loving parry
Till I myself avenging
To a vampire's health a-drinking
Him toast in pale tockay.

And as softly thou art sleeping
To thee shall I come creeping
And thy life's blood drain away.
And so shalt thou be trembling
For thus shall I be kissing
And death's threshold thou' it be crossing
With fear, in my cold arms.
And last shall I thee question
Compared to such instruction
What are a mother's charms?

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Posted by Vladimir
Mon, 10/29/2007 - 13:13

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Also at VO:

Countess Elizabeth Bathory c. 1560-1614

There are many legends about vampires. However, there are official documents proving the existence of an authentic seventeenth-century countess, Elizabeth Bathory, who was the most bloodthirsty vampiress of all time!

Plea to a Count

My dearest Count,
Oh Lord of night.
Your noble image,
Is a welcome sight.

I have waited, for so long,
I knew you would return.
For your bitter sweet kiss,
My humble neck does burn.

So come my dear,
And drink your fill.
Whilst in your arms,
I feel no ill.

Then leave you will,
I know you must.
But promise me you will return,
For in your word I trust.

Raven
December 26, 2001

Medical Information

Well, here is the part all the skeptics love. This is how medical research, cold hard facts, can prove that there are no vampires, rather, they can disprove corpses of old are vampires. Perhaps. They can only offer you convincing evidence that everything "vampiric" is normal. They can neither disprove or prove. Believe what you want.

Vampyres (1855)

VAMPYRES

published in

Harper's New Monthly Magazine
Volume 10, Issue 59, April 1855
Pages 681-685

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