Two Leigh Hunt Songs

Song Cycle by Leonard J[ordan] Lehrman (b. 1949)

1. Jenny kissed me  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
Jenny kissed me when we met,
Jumping from the chair she sat in;
Time, you thief, who love to get
Sweets into your [list]1, put that in:
Say I'm weary, say I'm sad,
Say that health and wealth have missed me,
Say I'm growing old, but add
Jenny kissed me.

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1 Wilkinson: "book"

Confirmed with Merlyn. Jaargang 2, Polak & Van Gennep, Amsterdam 1963-1964, page 3


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

2. Abou Ben Adhem  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold: --
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,
"What writest thou?" -- The vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so,"
Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerly still; and said, "I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow men."

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blest,
And lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest.

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Note: based on a story in d'Herbelot's Bibliothèque Orientale, 1781.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Total word count: 204