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by Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869 - 1935)

Luke Havergal
Language: English 
Go to the western gate, Luke Havergal,
There where the vines cling crimson on the wall,
And in the twilight wait for what will come. 
The leaves will whisper there of her, and some,
Like flying words, will strike you as they fall;
But go, and if you listen she will call. 
[Go to the western gate, Luke Havergal --
Luke Havergal.]1 

No, there is not a dawn in eastern skies
To rift the fiery night that's in your eyes;
But there, where western glooms are gathering,
The dark will end the dark, if anything:
God slays Himself with every leaf that flies,
And hell is more than half of paradise. 
No, there is not a dawn in eastern skies --
In eastern skies.

Out of a grave I come to tell you this,
Out of a grave I come to quench the kiss
That flames upon your forehead with a glow
That blinds you to the way that you must go. 
Yes, there is yet one way to where she is,
Bitter, but one that faith may never miss. 
[Out of a grave I come to tell you this --
To tell you this.]1

There is the western gate, Luke Havergal,
There are the crimson leaves upon the wall. 
Go, for the winds are tearing them away, --
Nor think to riddle the dead words they say,
[Nor any more to feel them as they fall;]1
But go, and if you trust her she will call. 
There is the western gate, Luke Havergal --
[Luke Havergal]1.

Available sung texts:   ← What is this?

•   J. Duke 

J. Duke sets stanzas 1, 3-4

View original text (without footnotes)
1 omitted by Duke.

Text Authorship:

  • by Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869 - 1935), "Luke Havergal", appears in The Children of the Night, first published 1897 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

  • by John Woods Duke (1899 - 1984), "Luke Havergal", 1945, published 1948, stanzas 1,3-4 [ medium voice and piano ], from Four Poems by Edwin Arlington Robinson, no. 3, Carl Fischer [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Lazare Saminsky (1882 - 1959), "Luke Havergal", op. 46 no. 2, published 1956 [ SATB chorus, piano, percussion and organ ad libitum ] [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 252

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