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by John Masefield (1878 - 1967)

By a Bier‑Side
 (Sung text for setting by C. Gibbs)
 Matches base text
Language: English 
This is a sacred city, built of marvellous earth.
Life was lived nobly there to give such Beauty birth.
Beauty was in this brain and in this eager hand.
Death is so blind and dumb, death does not understand.

Death drifts the brain with dust and soils the young limbs' glory.
Death makes justice a dream and strength a traveller's story.
Death drives the lovely soul to wander under the sky.
Death opens unknown doors. It is most grand to die.

Composition:

    Set to music by Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889 - 1960), "By a Bier-Side", published 1924 [ voice and piano ]

Text Authorship:

  • by John Masefield (1878 - 1967), appears in The Tragedy of Pompey the Great, first published 1910

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 81

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