by T. S. (Thomas Stearns) Eliot (1888 - 1965)
La figlia che piange
Language: English
O quam te memorem virgo... Stand on the highest pavement of the stair-- Lean on a garden urn-- Weave, weave the sunlight in your hair-- Clasp your flowers to you with a pained surprise-- Fling them to the ground and turn With a fugitive resentment in your eyes: But weave, weave the sunlight in your hair. So I would have had him leave, So I would have had her stand and grieve, So he would have left As the soul leaves the body torn and bruised, As the mind deserts the body it has used. I should find Some way incomparably light and deft, Some way we both should understand, Simple and faithless as a smile and shake of the hand. She turned away, but with the autumn weather Compelled my imagination many days, Many days and many hours: Her hair over her arms and her arms full of flowers. And I wonder how they should have been together! I should have lost a gesture and a pose. Sometimes these cogitations still amaze The troubled midnight and the noon's repose.
Authorship:
- by T. S. (Thomas Stearns) Eliot (1888 - 1965), "La figlia che piange", appears in Prufrock and Other Observations, first published 1920 [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 Robin Holloway (b. 1943), "La figlia che piange", op. 39 no. 1 (1978-9), published [1979] [ tenor and harp ], from The noon's repose, no. 1, [London?] : Boosey & Hawkes [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2012-02-19
Line count: 25
Word count: 181