by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882)
Dirge over a nameless grave
Language: English
By yon still river, where the wave Is winding slow at evening's close, The beech, upon a nameless grave, Its sadly-moving shadow throws. O'er the fair woods the sun looks down Upon the many-twinkling leaves, And twilight's mellow shades are brown, Where darkly the green turf upheaves. The river glides in silence there, And hardly waves the sapling tree: Sweet flowers are springing, and the air Is full of balm, - but where is she! They bade her wed a son of pride, And leave the hope she cherished long: She loved but one, - and would not hide A love which knew no wrong. And months went sadly on, - and years:- And she was wasting day by day: At length she died, - and many tears Were shed, that she should pass away. Then came a gray old man, and knelt With bitter weeping by her tomb:- And others mourned for him, who felt That he had sealed a daughter's doom. The funeral train has long past on, And time wiped dry the father's tear! Farewell - lost maiden! - there is one That mourns thee yet - and he is here.
Authorship:
- by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807 - 1882), "Dirge over a nameless grave", written 1825 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Klaus Miehling (b. 1963), "Dirge over a nameless grave", op. 150 no. 5 (2008) [ baritone and piano ], from Elf Lieder nach Henry W. Longfellow, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-09-17
Line count: 28
Word count: 194