by Shaemas O'Sheel (1886 - 1954)
The lover praises his lady's bright...
Language: English
Some night I think if you should walk with me Where the tall trees like ferns on the ocean’s floor Sway slowly in the blue deeps of the moon’s flood, I would put up my hands through that impalpable sea And tear a branch of stars from the sky, as once I tore A branch of apple blossoms for you in an April wood. And I would bend the dewy branch of stars about your little head Till they flamed with pride to be as blossoms amid your hair, But I would laugh to see them so pale, being near your eyes. I would say to you “Love, the Immortals are hovering about your head, They laugh at the dimness of stars in the luminous night of your hair.” I would toss that weeping branch back to the mournful skies.
Authorship:
- by Shaemas O'Sheel (1886 - 1954), appears in Jealous of Dead Leaves [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Timothy Hoekman , "The lover praises his lady's bright beauty", 2013, published 2016 [ baritone and piano ], from She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2020-08-29
Line count: 12
Word count: 140