Life has loveliness to sell, All beautiful and splendid things; Blue waves whitened on a cliff, Soaring fire that sways and sings, And children's faces looking up, Holding wonder like a cup. Life has loveliness to sell; Music like a curve of gold, Scent of pine trees in the rain, Eyes that love you, arms that hold, And, for [the]1 Spirit's still delight, Holy thoughts that star the night. [Give]2 all you have for loveliness; Buy it, and never count the cost! For one white, singing hour of peace Count many a year of strife well lost; And for a breath of ecstasy, Give all you have been, or could be.
Music like a curve of gold
Song Cycle by Juliana Hall (b. 1958)
1. Barter  [sung text checked 1 time]
Authorship:
- by Sara Teasdale (1884 - 1933), "Barter", appears in Love Songs, first published 1917
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Confirmed with Sara Teasdale, Love Songs, New York, The Macmillan Company, 1917, page 3.
1 Hall: "your"2 Bachlund, Hall: "Spend"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
2. A prayer  [sung text checked 1 time]
When I am dying, let me know That I loved the blowing snow Although it stung like whips; That I loved all lovely things And I tried to take their stings With gay unembittered lips; That I loved with all my strength, To my soul's full depth and length, Careless if my heart must break, That I sang as children sing Fitting tunes to everything, Loving life for its own sake.
Authorship:
- by Sara Teasdale (1884 - 1933)
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