Gloom and the night are thine: 
On the face of thy mirror darkness and terror, 
The smoke of thy blood, the frost of thy breath. 
In silence and woful awe 
Thy harrying angels of death 
Destroy whate'er thou makest --
Makest, destroyest, destroyest and makest. 
Thy gems of life thou dost squander, 
Their virginal beauty givest to plunder, 
Doomest to uttermost regions of age-long ice 
To starve and expire : 
Consumest with glance of fire, 
Or back to confusion shakest 
With earthquake, elemental storm and thunder.

About the headline (FAQ)

First published in Cornhill Magazine, September 1898

Text Authorship:

• by Robert Seymour Bridges (1844 - 1930), no title, appears in A Hymn of Nature, no. 2 [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 John (Nicholson) Ireland (1879 - 1962), "Gloom and the night are thine", 1947-48, first performed 1948 [chorus and instrumental ensemble], from the cantata Man in his labour rejoiceth, no. 2, note: for 9 choirs, 4 pipe bands, and 8 colliery brass bands; the brass band parts were lost and replaced by new ones recreated by Andrew Duncan for a new edition published in 2012 by The Music Company (UK) Ltd [ sung text not verified ]

This text (or a part of it) is used in a work

• by Cyril Stanley Christopher (1897 - ?), "A Hymn of Nature", c1940. [soprano, baritone, chorus, and orchestra]
  • Go to the full setting text.
    
• by Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, Sir (1848 - 1918), "A Song of Darkness and Light", published 1898. [soprano, SATB chorus, and orchestra]
  • Go to the full setting text.
    

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-01-29
Line count: 14
Word count: 84