Blake Cycle

Song Cycle by Romulus Franceschini (b. 1929)

1. Remove away that black'ning church  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
Remove away that black'ning church,
Remove away that marriage hearse,
Remove away that man of blood --
You'll quite remove the ancient curse.

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2. The sword sung in the barren heath  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
The sword sung on the barren heath
The sickle in the fruitful field:
The sword sung a song of death,
But could not make the sickle yield.

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3. Abstinence sows sand all over  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
Abstinence sows sand all over
The ruddy limbs & flaming hair,
But Desire Gratified
Plants fruits of life & beauty there.

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

4. He who binds to himself a Joy  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
He who [bends to himself]1 a Joy
Doth the wingèd life destroy;
But he who kisses the Joy as it flies
Lives in Eternity's sunrise.

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1 Vaughan Williams: "binds himself"; Franceschini and J. White: "binds to himself"

Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

5. The look of love alarms  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
The look of love alarms,
Because it's fill'd with fire;
But the look of soft deceit
Shall win the lover's hire.

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Total word count: 116