I. The corn has turned from grey to red, Since first my spirit wandered forth From the drear cities of the north, And to Italia’s mountains fled. And here I set my face towards home, For all my pilgrimage is done, Although, methinks, yon blood-red sun Marshals the way to Holy Rome. O Blessed Lady, who dost hold Upon the seven hills thy reign! O Mother without blot or stain, Crowned with bright crowns of triple gold! O Roma, Roma, at thy feet I lay this barren gift of song! For, ah! the way is steep and long That leads unto thy sacred street. II. And yet what joy it were for me To turn my feet unto the south, And journeying towards the Tiber mouth To kneel again at Fiesole! And wandering through the tangled pines That break the gold of Arno’s stream, To see the purple mist and gleam Of morning on the Apennines. By many a vineyard-hidden home, Orchard, and olive-garden grey, Till from the drear Campagna’s way The seven hills bear up the dome! III. A pilgrim from the northern seas — What joy for me to seek alone The wondrous Temple, and the throne Of Him who holds the awful keys! When, bright with purple and with gold, Come priest and holy Cardinal, And borne above the heads of all The gentle Shepherd of the Fold. O joy to see before I die The only God-anointed King, And hear the silver trumpets ring A triumph as He passes by! Or at the altar of the shrine Holds high the mystic sacrifice, And shows a God to human eyes Beneath the veil of bread and wine. IV. For lo, what changes time can bring! The cycles of revolving years May free my heart from all its fears, — And teach my lips a song to sing. Before yon field of trembling gold Is garnered into dusty sheaves, Or ere the autumn’s scarlet leaves Flutter as birds adown the wold, I may have run the glorious race, And caught the torch while yet aflame, And called upon the holy name Of Him who now doth hide His face.
Three Songs on Texts of Oscar Wilde
by Raoul Pleskow (b. 1931)
Rome Unvisited
Text Authorship:
- by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), "Rome Unvisited" [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):
Set by Raoul Pleskow (b. 1931), 1987 [ voice and piano ]Confirmed with Oscar Wilde, Poems, Boston: Robert Brothers, 1881.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Holy Week at Genoa
I wandered in Scoglietto’s green retreat, The oranges on each o’erhanging spray Burned as bright lamps of gold to shame the day; Some startled bird with fluttering wings and fleet Made snow of all the blossoms, at my feet Like silver moons the pale narcissi lay: And the curved waves that streaked the sapphire bay Laughed i’ the sun, and life seemed very sweet. Outside the young boy-priest passed singing clear, “Jesus the Son of Mary has been slain, O come and fill his sepulchre with flowers.” Ah, God! Ah, God! those dear Hellenic hours Had drowned all memory of Thy bitter pain, The Cross, the Crown, the Soldiers, and the Spear.
Text Authorship:
- by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), "Sonnet written in Holy Week at Genoa" [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):
Set by Raoul Pleskow (b. 1931), 1987 [ voice and piano ]Confirmed with Oscar Wilde, Poems, Boston: Robert Brothers, 1881.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Theocritus – A Villanelle
O Singer of Persephone! In the dim meadows desolate Dost thou remember Sicily? Still through the ivy flits the bee Where Amaryllis lies in state; O singer of Persephone! Simaetha calls on Hecate And hears the wild dogs at the gate; Dost thou remember Sicily? Still by the light and laughing sea Poor Polypheme bemoans his fate: O Singer of Persephone! And still in boyish rivalry Young Daphnis challenges his mate: Dost thou remember Sicily? Slim Lacon keeps a goat for thee, For thee the jocund shepherds wait, O Singer of Persephone! Dost thou remember Sicily?
Text Authorship:
- by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), "Theocritus", subtitle: "A villanelle" [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):
Set by Raoul Pleskow (b. 1931), 1987 [ voice and piano ]Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]