by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889)
A woman's last word
Language: English
I. Let's contend no more, Love, Strive nor weep: All be as before, Love, -- Only sleep! II. What so wild as words are? I and thou In debate, as birds are, Hawk on bough! III. See the creature stalking While we speak! Hush and hide the talking, Cheek on cheek! IV. What so false as truth is, False to thee? Where the serpent's tooth is Shun the tree -- V. Where the apple reddens Never pry -- Lest we lose our Edens, Eve and I. VI. Be a god and hold me With a charm! Be a man and fold me With thine arm! VII. Teach me, only teach, Love As I ought I will speak thy speech, Love, Think thy thought -- VIII. Meet, if thou require it, Both demands, Laying flesh and spirit In thy hands. IX. That shall be to-morrow Not to-night: I must bury sorrow Out of sight: X. -- Must a little weep, Love, (Foolish me!) And so fall asleep, Love, Loved by thee.
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "A woman's last word" [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 Granville Ransome Bantock, Sir (1868 - 1946), "A woman's last word", 1920, published 1920 [ voice and piano ], from Dramatic Lyrics Set I, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Benjamin Burrows (1891 - 1966), "A woman's last word", 1927 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Sidney Homer (1864 - 1953), "A woman's last word", op. 12 (Three Poems of Browning) no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Clara Kathleen Rogers (1844 - 1931), "A woman's last word", op. 32 no. 3, published 1900 [ voice and piano ], from Browning songs (Second Series), no. 3, Boston : Arthur P. Schmidt and Co. [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ruth Schonthal (1924 - 2006), "A woman's last word", 1977, first performed 1978 [ voice and piano ], from Seven Songs of Love and Sorrow, no. 5, Furore Verlag [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-06-14
Line count: 50
Word count: 165