by John Masefield (1878 - 1967)
The seekers
Language: English
Friends and loves we have none, nor wealth nor blessed abode, But the hope of the City of God at the other end of the road. Not for us are content, and quiet, and peace of mind, For we go seeking a city that we shall never find. There is no solace on earth for us -- for such as we -- Who search for a hidden city that we shall never see. Only the road and the dawn, the sun, the wind, and the rain, And the watch fire under stars, and sleep, and the road again. We seek the City of God, and the haunt where beauty dwells, And we find the noisy mart and the sound of burial bells. Never the golden city, where radiant people meet, But the dolorous town where mourners are going about the street. We travel the dusty road till the light of the day is dim, And sunset shows us spires away on the world's rim. We travel from dawn to dusk, till the day is past and by, Seeking the Holy City beyond the rim of the sky. Friends and loves we have none, nor wealth nor blest abode, But the hope of the City of God at the other end of the road.
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Text Authorship:
- by John Masefield (1878 - 1967), "The seekers", appears in Ballads, first published 1903 [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 George Dyson (1883 - 1964), "The seekers", subtitle: "stanzas 1-4,7,9", published 1935 [SATB chorus and strings with optional instruments], from Three Songs of Courage [text verified 1 time]
- by Gordon Archbold Slater (1896 - 1979), "The seekers", published 1929. [bass and piano] [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-12-31
Line count: 18
Word count: 212