"O Winter! bar thine adamantine doors: The north is thine; there hast thou built thy dark Deep-founded habitation. Shake not thy roofs, Nor bend thy pillars with thine iron car." He hears me not, but o'er the yawning deep Rides heavy; his storms are unchain'd, sheathed In ribbed steel; I dare not lift mine eyes, For he hath rear'd his sceptre o'er the world. Lo! now the direful monster, whose skin clings To his strong bones, strides o'er the groaning rocks: He withers all in silence, and in his hand Unclothes the earth, and freezes up frail life. He takes his seat upon the cliffs, -- the mariner Cries in vain. Poor little wretch, that deal'st With storms! -- till heaven smiles, and the monster Is driv'n yelling to his caves beneath mount Hecla.
Two Invocations for Tenor and Piano
Song Cycle by John Pierre Herman Joubert (1927 - 2019)
1. To Winter  [sung text not yet checked]
Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "To Winter"
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Zimě"
- RUS Russian (Русский) [singable] (Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov) , "К Зиме", first published 1979, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
2. To Spring  [sung text not yet checked]
O Thou with dewy locks, who lookest down Thro' the clear windows of the morning, turn Thine angel eyes upon our western isle, Which in full choir hails thy approach, O Spring! The hills tell each other, and the list'ning Valleys hear; all our longing eyes are turned Up to thy bright pavilions: issue forth, And let thy holy feet visit our clime. Come o'er the eastern hills, and let our winds Kiss thy perfumed garments; let us taste Thy morn and evening breath; scatter thy pearls Upon our love-sick land that mourns for thee. O deck her forth with thy fair fingers; pour Thy soft kisses on her bosom; and put Thy golden crown upon her languish'd head, Whose modest tresses were bound up for thee.
Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "To Spring"
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Jaru"
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , "Dir, Lenz", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- RUS Russian (Русский) [singable] (Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov) , "К Весне", first published 1979, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission