I send my heart up to thee, all my heart In this my singing, For the stars help me, and the sea, and the sea bears part; The very night is clinging Closer to Venice' streets to leave one space Above me, whence thy face May light my joyous heart to thee, to thee its dwelling place.
In a gondola
Song Cycle by Alice Barnett (1886 - 1975)
1. Serenade  [sung text not yet checked]
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), no title, appears in Bells and Pomegranates, first published 1842
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Sharon Krebs) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Denise Ritter Bernardini) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
2. Boat‑Song  [sung text not yet checked]
Past we glide, and past, and past! What's that poor Agnese doing Where they make the shutters fast? Grey Zanobi's just a-wooing To his couch the purchased bride: Past we glide! Past we glide, and past, and past! Why's the Pucci Palace flaring Like a beacon to the blast? Guests by hundreds, not one caring If the dear host's neck were wried: Past we glide!
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), no title, appears in Bells and Pomegranates, first published 1842
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]3. The moth's kiss  [sung text not yet checked]
The moth's kiss, first! Kiss me as if you made me believe You were not sure, this eve, How my face, your flower, had pursed Its petals up; so, here and there You brush it, till I grow aware Who wants me, and wide ope I burst. The bee's kiss, now! Kiss me as if you enter'd gay My heart at some noonday, A bud that dares not disallow The claim, so all is render'd up, And passively its shatter'd cup Over your head to sleep I bow.
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), no title, appears in Bells and Pomegranates, first published 1842
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]4. What are we two?  [sung text not yet checked]
What are we two? I am a Jew, And carry thee, farther than friends can pursue, To a feast of our tribe; Where they need thee to bribe The devil that blasts them unless he imbibe. Thy . . . Scatter the vision for ever! And now As of old, I am I, thou art thou! Say again, what we are? The sprite of a star, I lure thee above where the destinies bar My plumes their full play Till a ruddier ray Than my pale one announce there is withering away Some . . . Scatter the vision forever! And now, As of old, I am I, thou art thou!
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), no title, appears in Bells and Pomegranates, first published 1842
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]5. He Muses ‑ Drifting  [sung text not yet checked]
What if the Three should catch at last Thy serenader? While there's cast Paul's cloak about my head, and fast Gian pinions me, Himself has past His stylet thro' my back; I reel; And . . . is it thou I feel? They trail me, these three godless knaves, Past every church that saints and saves, Nor stop till, where the cold sea raves By Lido's wet accursed graves, They scoop mine, roll me to its brink, And . . . on thy breast I sink!
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), no title, appears in Bells and Pomegranates, first published 1842
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]6. Dip your arm o'er the boatside  [sung text not yet checked]
Dip your arm o'er the boat-side, elbow-deep, As I do: thus: were death so unlike sleep, Caught this way? Death's to fear from flame or steel, Or poison doubtless; but from water -- feel! Go find the bottom! Would you stay me? There! Now pluck a great blade of that ribbon-grass To plait in where the foolish jewel was, I flung away: since you have praised my hair, 'Tis proper to be choice in what I wear.
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), no title, appears in Bells and Pomegranates, first published 1842
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]7. Tomorrow, if a harp‑string, say  [sung text not yet checked]
To-morrow, if a harp-string, say, Is used to tie the jasmine back That overfloods my room with sweets, Contrive your Zorzi somehow meets My Zanze! If the ribbon's black, The Three are watching: keep away! Your gondola -- let Zorzi wreathe A mesh of water weeds about Its prow, as if he unaware Had struck some quay or bridge-foot stair! That I may throw a paper out As you and he go underneath. There's Zanze's vigilant taper; safe are we. Only one minute more to-night with me? Resume your past self of a month ago! Be you the bashful gallant, I will be The lady with the colder breast than snow. Now bow you, as becomes, nor touch my hand More than I touch yours when I step to land, And say, "All thanks, Siora!" -- Heart to heart And lips to lips! Yet once more, ere we part, Clasp me and make me thine, as mine thou art!
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), no title, appears in Bells and Pomegranates, first published 1842
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]8. It was ordained to be so, sweet  [sung text not yet checked]
It was ordained to be so, sweet! -- and best Comes now, beneath thine eyes, upon thy breast. Still kiss me! Care not for the cowards! Care Only to put aside thy beauteous hair My blood will hurt! The Three, I do not scorn To death, because they never lived: but I Have lived indeed, and so -- (yet one more kiss) -- can die!
Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), no title, appears in Bells and Pomegranates, first published 1842
Go to the single-text view
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]