by Alfred Austin (1835 - 1913)
Love's wisdom
Language: English
Now on the summit of Love's topmost peak Kiss we and part; no further can we go: And better death than we from high to low Should dwindle or decline from strong to weak. We have found all, there is no more to seek; All have we proved, no more is there to know; And time could only tutor us to eke Out rapture's warmth with custom's afterglow. We cannot keep at such a height as this; For even straining souls like ours inhale But once in life so rarefied a bliss. What if we lingered till love's breath should fail! Heaven of my Earth! one more celestial kiss, Then down by separate pathways to the vale.
Authorship:
- by Alfred Austin (1835 - 1913), "Love's wisdom", appears in Soliloquies in Song, first published 1882 [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 Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874 - 1949), "Love's wisdom", op. 115 (Three Sonnets) no. 1 (1935) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2009-01-21
Line count: 14
Word count: 117