To the Muse

Song Cycle by Alan Louis Smith

1. Baudelaire’s invalid flowers
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Baudelaire’s invalid flowers, scented with opium;
        he had Calcutta and Holland and Jeanne.
Verlaine’s wordless songs, opalescent with absinthe;
        he had Mathilde, no, Rimbaud –
no Mathilde, no Rimbaud…

Text Authorship:

  • by Alan Louis Smith , "Baudelaire’s invalid flowers", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Researcher for this page: Alan Louis Smith

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

2. If every ear (Mondnacht)
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
If every ear were a trumpet,
If every mouth were a nest,
Then you’d divine my longing,
Spread wide your wings,
Soar home,
Soar here,
And rest.

Text Authorship:

  • by Alan Louis Smith , "If every ear (Mondnacht)", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Researcher for this page: Alan Louis Smith

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

3. Some enchanted evening
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Some enchanted evening broidered with stars,
Some enchanted morning coralled with dawn,
Some enchanted noontime extolled with sun,
Some enchanted sunset embered with time,
 
This enchanted hour,
Wellspring,
You.

Text Authorship:

  • by Alan Louis Smith , "Some enchanted evening", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Researcher for this page: Alan Louis Smith

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

4. Making out of life what we want it to be
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Là ci darem la mano,
There we will give our hands,
Yours in mine,
Mine in yours.
 
Qui diamo i nostri cuori,
Here let us share our hearts,
Mine in yours,
Yours in mine.
 
Qui facciamo le nostre promesse,
Here let us accord our testimonies,
We are witnesses,
I to you,
You to me.
 
Qui abbiamo fatto il nostro cielo,
Here we have made our heaven,
Hands, hearts, witnesses,
Paradise.

Text Authorship:

  • by Alan Louis Smith , title 1: "Making out of life what we want it to be", title 2: "Là ci darem la mano", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Researcher for this page: Alan Louis Smith

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

5. Francis Poulenc’s Thank‑you Note to Louise de Vilmorin
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
To you, seductive woman-child,
Most feminine of poets,
To you, impertinent seagull,
Ambassadress to so many heart-refugees,
To you, gypsy ear, temptation-tousled hair,
To you, thief of hearts, virtuoso of desires,
To you, heart’s-ache, heart’s-ease,
Your words are your flesh are your soul,
Love letters, sand-stars.
 
Ah, voilá!  C’est ton portrait:
You resolve the sad joy of the universe.

Text Authorship:

  • by Alan Louis Smith , "Francis Poulenc’s Thank-you Note to Louise de Vilmorin", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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Researcher for this page: Alan Louis Smith

IMPORTANT NOTE: The material directly above is protected by copyright and appears here by special permission. If you wish to copy it and distribute it, you must obtain permission or you will be breaking the law. Once you have permission, you must give credit to the author and display the copyright symbol ©. Copyright infringement is a criminal offense under international law.

Total word count: 214