by James Stephens (1882 - 1950)
Lift up my heart, and sing again
Language: English
[Lift]1 up my heart, and sing again As once you did when I was young. Before I knew of woe and pain. When every happy bird that sung I sang to it, and it to me Repeated half the melody. Like a thrush at peep of light, I would pipe my sunny lay, Singing how the blackest night Always has to run away When the sun climbs from afar Brandishing his scimitar. Like an eagle's is your cry ; More of fierceness than of glee Sent your pinions to the sky Bounding our humanity ; Sent you winging to the sun That is seen of every one.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Swain: "Still lift"; there may be further changes not noted.
Text Authorship:
- by James Stephens (1882 - 1950), no title, appears in Songs from the Clay, in A Reply, no. 2, first published 1915 [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 Freda Mary Swain (1902 - 1985), "A reply" [ baritone and piano ensemble ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-01-22
Line count: 18
Word count: 105