Vampire Poetry: "Der Vampir" (1748) Ossenfelder

(The lines have been numbered for easier discussion)

My dear young maiden clingeth ¹
Unbending, fast and firm ²
To all the long-held teaching ³
Of a mother ever true; ⁴
As in vampires unmortal ⁵
Folk on the Theyse's portal ^6*
Heyduck-like do believe. ^7**
But my Christine thou dost dally, ⁸
And wilt my loving parry ⁹
Till I myself avenging ¹⁰
To a vampire's health a-drinking
Him toast in pale tockay. ^12***

And as softly thou art sleeping ¹³
To thee shall I come creeping ¹⁴
And thy life's blood drain away. ¹⁵
And so shalt thou be trembling ¹⁶
For thus shall I be kissing ¹⁷
And death's threshold thou' it be crossing ¹⁸
With fear, in my cold arms. ¹⁹
And last shall I thee question ²⁰
Compared to such instruction ²¹
What are a mother's charms? ²²

* Theyse (Tisza): it is the second biggest river in Hangary -- the biggest is the Danube.

** Heyduck: a semimilitary official of seventeenth and eighteenth century Hungary.

*** Tokay: a well known type of Hungarian wine.