by Caroline Duer (1865 - 1956)
Translation by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Good‑night
Language: English 
Dearest, good-night! The darkness spreads her wings 
Over the restlessness of human things, 
  And stills awhile the tumult of the day. 

We were together not two hours ago, 
Playing our parts before the world's great show. 
  Saying the words set down for us to say. 

Yet are we nearer now than we have been. 
Though the long streets lie silently between. 
  Though all the world should stretch between us two. 

Think of me, dearest, not as I was then — 
That was a worldly woman among men : 
  This is a lonely woman who loves you.

Confirmed with Poems by Caroline Duer and Alice Duer, New York, George H. Richmond & Co., 1896, page 46.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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  • Also set in French (Français), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , first published c1899 ; composed by Jules Massenet.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2016-06-14
Line count: 12
Word count: 95

Au très aimé
Language: French (Français)  after the English 
Mon très aimé, bonne nuit ! La paix de l'ombre étend ses ailes 
sur l'agitation des choses humaines,
  et calme un moment le tumulte du jour.

Voici moins d'une heure, nous étions ensemble, 
jouant nos rôles... au théâtre menteur du monde, 
  disant les mots qui nous étaient donnés à dire.

Loin de vous, je suis pourtant plus très de vous, 
bien que des rues très longues nous séparent, 
  et quand même le monde entier s'étendrait entre nous deux.

Pensez à moi, très aimé, mais non pas telle que j'étais alors: 
alors, c'était une femme mondaine au milieu des hommes;
  Maintenant, c'est une femme solitaire qui vous aime.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2011-01-27
Line count: 12
Word count: 106