Three Songs [1903-1904]

by Frank Bridge (1879 - 1941)

1. Night lies on the silent highways
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Night lies on the silent highways,
Sick my heart, my limbs how weary; --
Then like gentle balm descendeth,
Moon, thy soft light on me dreary.

Gentle moon, all dread nocturnal
With thy sweet light thou dost banish;
And mine eyes with tears well over,
And my torments melt and vanish.

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Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

2. A dead violet
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
The odour from the flower is gone
Which like thy kisses breathed on me;
The colour from the flower is flown
Which glowed of thee and only thee!

A shrivelled, lifeless, vacant form.
It lies on my abandoned breast,
And mocks my heart which yet is warm,
With cold and silent rest.

I weep, -- my tears revive it not!
I sigh, -- it breathes no more on me;
Its mute and uncomplaining lot
Is such as mine should be.

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Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

3. A dirge
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Rough wind that moanest loud
Grief too sad for song;
Wild wind, when sullen cloud
Knells all the night long;
Sad storm whose tears are vain,
Bare woods, whose branches strain,
Deep caves and dreary main, --
Wail, for the world's wrong!

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Nářek", Prague, J. Otto, first published 1901
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Published by Mrs. Shelley in Posthumous Poems, 1824.

Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
Total word count: 170