by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
I live, and yet methinks
Language: English
I live, and yet methinks I do not breathe; I thirst and drink, I drink and thirst again; I sleep and yet do dream I am awake; I hope for that I have; I have and want: I sing and sigh; I love and hate at once. O, tell me, restless soul, what uncouth jar Doth cause in store such want, in peace such war? Risposta. There is a jewel which no Indian mines Can buy, no chymic art can counterfeit; It makes men rich in greatest poverty; Makes water wine, turns wooden cups to gold, The homely whistle to sweet music’s strain: Seldom it come, to few from heaven sent, That much in little, all in nought, — Content.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [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 John Wilbye (1574 - 1638), "I live, and yet methinks", published 1609 [vocal trio], from the collection Second Set of Madrigals, madrigal [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2004-12-08
Line count: 15
Word count: 120