A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation."
Five Stephen Crane Poems
Song Cycle by David Sisco
1. A man said to the universe  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Text Authorship:
- by Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900), no title, appears in War Is Kind and Other Lines, no. 21, first published 1899
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]2. I saw a man pursuing the horizon  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
I saw a man pursuing the horizon; Round and round they sped. I was disturbed at this; I accosted the man. [“It is futile,” I said,]1 “You can never -- ” “You lie,” he cried, And ran [on]2.
Text Authorship:
- by Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900), no title, appears in The Black Riders and Other Lines, no. 24, first published 1895
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View original text (without footnotes)1 Lindsay: "I said, “It is futile,”"
2 Lidnsay: "on and on"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
3. There was a man with a tongue of wood  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
There was a man with tongue of wood Who essayed to sing, And in truth it was lamentable. But there was one who heard The clip-clapper of this tongue of wood And knew what the man Wished to sing, And with that the singer was content.
Text Authorship:
- by Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900), no title, appears in War Is Kind and Other Lines, no. 16, first published 1899
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]4. The wayfarer  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
The wayfarer, Perceiving the pathway to truth, Was struck with astonishment. It was thickly grown with weeds. "Ha," he said, "I see that none has passed here In a long time." Later he saw that each weed Was a singular knife. "Well," he mumbled at last, "Doubtless there are other roads."
Text Authorship:
- by Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900), no title, appears in War Is Kind and Other Lines, no. 13, first published 1899
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]5. I stood upon a high place  [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
I stood upon a high place, And saw, below, many devils Running, leaping, and carousing in sin. One looked up, grinning, And said, "Comrade! Brother!"
Text Authorship:
- by Stephen Crane (1871 - 1900)
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]Total word count: 183