Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part;
Nay, I have done, you get no more of me,
And I am glad, yea glad with all my heart
That thus so cleanly I can free;
Shake hands forever, cancel all our vows,
And when we meet at any time again,
Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we one jot of former love retain.
Now at the last gasp of Love's latest breath,
When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies,
When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,
And Innocence is closing up his eyes,
Now if thou wouldst, when all have given him over,
From death to life thou mightst him yet recover.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Michael Drayton (1563 - 1631), title 1: "Love's Farewell", title 2: "The Parting", written 1619 [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 Kirke Mechem (b. 1925), "Since there's no help", op. 33 no. 1, published 1979 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Goodbye, Farewell, and Adieu: Three Songs of Parting, no. 1, G.Schirmer (Hal Leonard) [sung text not yet checked]
- by M. Ryan Taylor (b. 1972), "Come let us Kiss and Part", 199-? [ medium voice and piano ], from Two Early Songs, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Denise Tolkowsky (1918 - 1991), "The Parting", op. 36 no. 1 (1951/1952), published 1952 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], from Three songs of parting, no. 1, Antwerp [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Richard Flatter) , "Abschied", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-07-29
Line count: 14
Word count: 120
Da nichts mehr hilft: ein Kuß – ! dann laß uns gehn: So – nun genug; nichts weiter, füg dich drein! Und ich bin froh, ja herzlich froh, zu sehn, Da ich´s vermag, so rasch mich zu befrein. Nochmals die Hand –: denk nicht an Eid und Schwur! Und treffen wir einander irgendwann, Merkt man uns, hoffen wir´s, nicht eine Spur Von unsrer längst verfloßnen Liebe an. Doch wenn auch unsre Lieb´ im Sterben liegt, Schon ohne Puls, kaum röchelnd hin und wieder – Die Treue kniet, ob ihr Gebet nicht siegt, Die Unschuld steht und schlägt die Augen nieder – Versuch´s, noch jetzt, wenn sie auch aufgegeben: Erweck sie neu vom sichern Tod zum Leben!
Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.
Confirmed with Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten Übersetzt von Richard Flatter, Walter Krieg Verlag, Wien-Bad Bocklet-Zürich, 1954, 2nd edition (1st edition 1936), page .
Text Authorship:
- by Richard Flatter (1891 - 1960), "Abschied", appears in Die Fähre, Englische Lyrik aus fünf Jahrhunderten, first published 1936 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Michael Drayton (1563 - 1631), title 1: "Love's Farewell", title 2: "The Parting", written 1619
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Volkmar Henschel
This text was added to the website: 2021-02-24
Line count: 14
Word count: 115