by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861)
A year's spinning
Language: English
He listened at the porch that day, To hear the wheel go on, and on; And then it stopped, ran back away, While through the door he brought the sun: But now my spinning is all done. He sat beside me, with an oath That love ne'er ended, once begun; I smiled -- believing for us both, What was the truth for only one: And now my spinning is all done. My mother cursed me that I heard A young man's wooing as I spun: Thanks, cruel mother, for that word -- For I have, since, a harder known! And now my spinning is all done. I thought -- O God! -- my first-born's cry Both voices to mine ear would drown: I listened in mine agony -- It was the silence made me groan! And now my spinning is all done. Bury me 'twixt my mother's grave, (Who cursed me on her death-bed lone) And my dead baby's (God it save!) Who, not to bless me, would not moan. And now my spinning is all done. A stone upon my heart and head, But no name written on the stone! Sweet neighbours, whisper low instead, "This sinner was a loving one -- And now her spinning is all done." And let the door ajar remain, In case he should pass by anon; And leave the wheel out very plain, -- That HE, when passing in the sun, May see the spinning is all done.
Authorship:
- by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806 - 1861), "A year's spinning" [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 Alfred Humphries Pease (1838 - 1882), "A year's spinning" [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: John Glenn Paton [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2011-10-28
Line count: 35
Word count: 238