by Emily Pauline Johnson (1861 - 1913)
The song my paddle sings See original
Language: English
West wind, blow from your prairie nest,
Blow from the mountains, blow from the west.
The sail is idle, the sailor too;
O wind of the west, we wait for you!
Blow, blow!
I have wooed you so,
But never a favor you bestow.
You rock your cradle the hills between,
But scorn to notice my white lateen.
...
Be strong, O paddle! be brave, canoe!
The reckless waves you must plunge into.
Reel, reel,
On your trembling keel,
But never a fear my craft will feel.
We've raced the rapids; we're far ahead:
The river slips through its silent bed.
Sway, sway,
As the bubbles spray
And fall in tinkling tunes away.
And up on the hills against the sky,
A fir tree rocking its lullaby
Swings, swings,
Its emerald wings,
Swelling the song that my paddle sings.
Confirmed with Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. A Victorian Anthology, 1837-1895, 1895.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Composition:
- Set to music by Matthew Emery (b. 1991), "The song my paddle sings", 2012, stanzas 1,6-8 [ SATB chorus and SSAA chorus a cappella ]
Text Authorship:
- by Emily Pauline Johnson (1861 - 1913), "The song my paddle sings"
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2013-09-13
Line count: 53
Word count: 300