Death and the Maiden

Song Cycle by Robert Arnold Jordahl (b. 1926)

1. To die takes just a little while [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English

To die — takes just a little while —
They say it doesn't hurt — 
It's only fainter — by degrees —
And then — it's out of sight —

[ ... ]

Text Authorship:

by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]

2. We do not play on graves [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English

We do not play on graves 
because there isn't room. 
Besides it isn't even. 
It slants and people come 
and put a flower on it 
and hang their faces so. 
We're fearing that their hearts 
will drop and crush our pretty play. 
And so we move as far as enemies away, 
just looking round to see 
how far it is occasionally.

Text Authorship:

by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), no title

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

3. Let down the bars, oh Death
(Sung text)

Language: English

Let down the bars, O Death!
The tired flocks come in
Whose bleating ceases to repeat,
Whose wandering is done.

Thine is the stillest night,
Thine the severest fold;
Too near thou art for seeking thee,
Too tender to be told.

Text Authorship:

by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), no title, appears in Poems by Emily Dickinson, first published 1891

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

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

Total word count: 186

Death and the Maiden

Song Cycle by Robert Arnold Jordahl (b. 1926)

1. To die takes just a little while [sung text not yet checked]

2. We do not play on graves [sung text not yet checked]

3. Let down the bars, oh Death (Sung text)

3. Let down the bars, oh Death
(Sung text)