by Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton (1803 - 1873)
When stars are in the quiet skies
Language: English
When stars are in the quiet skies, Then most I pine for thee; Bend on me then thy tender eyes As stars look on the sea. For thoughts, like waves that glide by night, Are stillest when they shine; Mine earthly love lies hush'd in light Beneath the heaven of thine. There is an hour when angels Keep familiar watch o'er men, When coarser souls [are]1 wrapp'd in sleep -- Sweet spirit, meet me then! [There is an hour when holy dreams Through slumber fairest glide; And in that mystic hour it seems Thou shouldst be by my side.]2 My thoughts of thee too sacred are For daylight's common beam: I can but know thee as my star, My angel and my dream; [When stars are in the quiet skies, Then most I pine for thee; Bend on me then thy tender eyes, As stars look on the sea!]2
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Chadwick: "were"
2 omitted by Chadwick.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
1 Chadwick: "were"
2 omitted by Chadwick.
Authorship:
- by Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton (1803 - 1873), "When stars are in the quiet skies" [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 George Whitefield Chadwick (1854 - 1931), "When stars are in the quiet skies", 1910 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, Sir (1848 - 1918), "When stars are in the quiet skies", 1865 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, [adaptation] ; composed by Charles Edward Ives.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 148