Never any more, While I live, Need I hope to see his face As before. Once his love grown chill, Mine may strive: Bitterly we re-embrace, Single still. Was it something said, Something done, Vexed him? was it touch of hand, Turn of head? Strange! that very way Love begun: I as little understand Love's decay. When I sewed or drew, I recall How he looked as if I sung, ---Sweetly too. If I spoke a word, First of all Up his cheek the colour sprang, Then he heard. Sitting by my side, At my feet, So he breathed but air I breathed, Satisfied! I, too, at love's brim Touched the sweet: I would die if death bequeathed Sweet to him. "Speak, I love thee best!" He exclaimed: "Let thy love my own foretell!" I confessed: "Clasp my heart on thine "Now unblamed, "Since upon thy soul as well "Hangeth mine!" Was it wrong to own, Being truth? Why should all the giving prove His alone? I had wealth and ease, Beauty, youth: Since my lover gave me love, I gave these. That was all I meant, ---To be just, And the passion I had raised, To content. Since he chose to change Gold for dust, If I gave him what he praised Was it strange? Would he loved me yet, On and on, While I found some way undreamed ---Paid my debt! Gave more life and more, Till, all gone, He should smile "She never seemed "Mine before. "What, she felt the while, "Must I think? "Love's so different with us men!" He should smile: "Dying for my sake--- "White and pink! "Can't we touch these bubbles then "But they break?" Dear, the pang is brief, Do thy part, Have thy pleasure! How perplexed Grows belief! Well, this cold clay clod Was man's heart: Crumble it, and what comes next? Is it God?
Dramatic Lyrics Set I
Song Cycle by Granville Ransome Bantock, Sir (1868 - 1946)
1. In a year [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "In a year", appears in Men and Women, Volume II, first published 1885
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]2. The guardian angel
Language: English
A picture at Fano
Dear and great Angel, wouldst thou only leave
That child, when thou hast done with him, for me!
Let me sit all the day here, that when eve
Shall find performed thy special ministry,
And time come for departure, thou, suspending
Thy flight, mayst see another child for tending,
Another still, to quiet and retrieve.
...
If this was ever granted, I would rest
My bead beneath thine, while thy healing hands
Close-covered both my eyes beside thy breast,
Pressing the brain, which too much thought expands,
Back to its proper size again, and smoothing
Distortion down till every nerve had soothing,
And all lay quiet, happy and suppressed.
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "The guardian-angel", appears in Men and Women, Volume II, first published 1855
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]3. My star [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
All, that I know Of a certain star Is, it can throw (Like the angled spar) Now a dart of red, Now a dart of blue Till my friends have said They would fain see, too, My star that dartles the red and the blue! Then it stops like a bird; like a flower, hangs furled: They must solace themselves with the Saturn above it. What matter to me if their star is a world? Mine has opened its soul to me; therefore I love it.
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "My star", appears in Men and Women, first published 1855
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]4. A woman's last word [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
I. Let's contend no more, Love, Strive nor weep: All be as before, Love, -- Only sleep! II. What so wild as words are? I and thou In debate, as birds are, Hawk on bough! III. See the creature stalking While we speak! Hush and hide the talking, Cheek on cheek! IV. What so false as truth is, False to thee? Where the serpent's tooth is Shun the tree -- V. Where the apple reddens Never pry -- Lest we lose our Edens, Eve and I. VI. Be a god and hold me With a charm! Be a man and fold me With thine arm! VII. Teach me, only teach, Love As I ought I will speak thy speech, Love, Think thy thought -- VIII. Meet, if thou require it, Both demands, Laying flesh and spirit In thy hands. IX. That shall be to-morrow Not to-night: I must bury sorrow Out of sight: X. -- Must a little weep, Love, (Foolish me!) And so fall asleep, Love, Loved by thee.
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "A woman's last word"
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]5. Home‑thoughts [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Oh, to be in England Now that April's there, And whoever wakes in England Sees, some morning, unaware, That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf, While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough In England - now!! And after April, when May follows, And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows! Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge Leans to the field and scatters on the clover Blossoms and dewdrops - at the bent spray's edge - That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, Lest you should think he never could recapture The first fine careless rapture! And though the fields look rough with hoary dew, All will be gay when noontide wakes anew The buttercups, the little children's dower - Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "Home-thoughts, from abroad", appears in Bells and Pomegranates, No. VII, first published 1845
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]Total word count: 814