by John Keats (1795 - 1821)

Language: English 
I had a dove and the sweet dove died;
And I have thought it died of grieving:
O, what could it grieve for? Its feet were tied,
With a silken thread of my own hand's weaving;
Sweet little red feet! why should you die --
Why should you leave me, sweet bird! why?
You lived alone in the forest tree,
Why, pretty thing! would you not live with me?
I kissed you oft and gave you white peas:
Why not live sweetly, as in the green trees?

Composition:

    Set to music by Judith Weir (b. 1954), "Sweet little red feet", 2003 [ mezzo-soprano and piano ], from The Voice of Desire, no. 4, Chester Music Ltd

Text Authorship:

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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 86