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Two Vocal Duets

by Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 - 1958)

1. The last invocation
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
At the last, tenderly,
From the walls of the powerful, fortress'd house,
From the clasp of the knitted locks --
  from the keep of the well-closed doors,
Let me be wafted.

Let me glide noiselessly forth;
With the key of softness unlock the locks -- with a whisper,
Set ope the doors, O Soul!

Tenderly! be not impatient!
(Strong is your hold, O mortal flesh!
Strong is your hold, O Love.)

Text Authorship:

  • by Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892), "The last invocation", appears in Leaves of Grass, first published 1900

See other settings of this text.

Research team for this page: Ted Perry , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]

2. The Love‑Song of the Birds
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Shine! Shine! Shine!
Pour down your warmth, great sun!
While we bask -- we two together.

Two together!
Winds blow South or winds blow North,
Day come white, or night come black,
Home or rivers and mountains from home,
Singing all  ...  time, minding no time,
While we two keep together.

Text Authorship:

  • by Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892), no title, appears in Leaves of Grass, in Sea-Drift, no. 3

See other settings of this text.

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
Total word count: 119
Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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