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by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889)

Man I am and man would be, Love merest...
Language: English 
Man I am and man would be, Love merest man and nothing more. 
Bid me seem no other ! Eagles boast of pinions let them soar! 
I may put forth angel's plumage, once unmanned, but not before. 
Now on earth, to stand suffices, nay, if kneeling serves, to kneel: 
Here you front me, here I find the all of heaven that earth can feel: 
Sense looks straight, not over, under, perfect sees beyond appeal. 
Good you are and wise, full circle : what to me were more outside ? 
Wiser wisdom, better goodness ? Ah, such want the angel's wide 
Sense to take and hold and keep them ! Mine at least has never tried. 

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "The family", appears in Ferishtah's Fancies, no. 4, first published 1884 [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), "The family", 1903, published 1905 [tenor and orchestra], from Lyrics from "Ferishtah's Fancies", no. 4. [
     text not verified 
    ]
  • by Alice Borton (fl. 1890), "Man I am and man would be, Love", c1884. [voice and piano] [
     text not verified 
    ]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-02-26
Line count: 9
Word count: 110

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