The Painted Rose

Song Cycle by Michael (Stockwin) Howard (1922 - 2002)

1. The painted rose
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Take thou this Rose O Rose.
Since love's own flower it is,
And by that Rose that Rose,
Thy lover captive is.
 
Smell thou this Rose O Rose.
And know thy self as sweet
As dawn is sweet.
 
Look on this Rose, O Rose.
And looking laugh on me,
And in thy laughter's ring,
The nightingale shall sing.
 
Kiss thou this Rose, O Rose,
That it may know 
the scarlet of thy mouth.

O Rose, this painted Rose
Is not the whole;
Who paints the flower
Paints not its fragrant soul.

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

2. So by my singing am I comforted
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
So by my singing am I comforted 
Even as the swan that singing makes death sweet, 
For from my face is gone the wholesome red. 
And soft grief in my heart is sunken deep. 
  For sorrow still increasing, 
  And travail unreleasing, 
  And strength fast from me flying, 
  And I for sorrow dying, 
Dying, dying, dying, 
Since she I love cares nothing for my sighing. 

 ... 

Innocent breasts, when I have looked upon them, 
Would that my hands were there, 
How have I craved, and dreaming thus upon them, 
Love wakened from despair. 
  Beauty on her lips flaming, 
  Rose red with her shaming, 
  And I with passion burning 
  And with my whole heart yearning 
For her mouth, her mouth, her mouth, 
That on her beauty I might slake my drouth.

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Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

3. Before sleep
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
The toil of day is ebbing, 
The quiet comes again,
In slumber deep relaxing 
The limbs of tired men.

And minds with anguish shaken, 
And spirits racked with grief,
The cup of all forgetting 
Have drunk and found relief.

The still Lethean waters 
Now steal through every vein,
And men no more remember 
The meaning of their pain.

Let the weary body lie 
Sunk in slumber deep.
The heart shall still remember Christ 
In its very sleep.

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Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

4. David's Lament for Jonathan
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Low in thy grave with thee
Happy to lie,
Since there's no greater thing left Love to do;
And to live after thee
Is but to die,
For with but half a soul what can Life do?

So share thy victory,
Or else thy grave,
Either to rescue thee, or with thee lie:
Ending that life for thee,
That thou didst save,
So Death that sundereth might bring more nigh.

Peace, O my stricken lute!
Thy strings are sleeping.
Would that my heart could still
Its bitter weeping!

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Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Total word count: 440