by William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939)

Two Songs of a Fool I
 (Sung text for setting by S. Grill)
 See original
Language: English 
Our translations:  FRE
A speckled cat and a tame hare
Eat at my hearthstone
And sleep there;
And both look up to me alone
For learning and defence
As I look up to Providence.

I start out of my sleep to think
Some day I may forget
Their food and drink;
Or, the house door left unshut,
The hare may run till it's found
The horn's sweet note and the tooth of the hound.

I bear a burden that might well try
Men that do all by rule,
And what can I
That am a wandering-witted fool
But pray to God that He ease
My great responsibilities?
Grill: "or"

Composition:

    Set to music by Stanley Grill (b. 1953), "Two Songs of a Fool I", copyright © 1977 [ soprano and piano ], from Six Songs, no. 4, confirmed with an online score

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Malcolm Wren [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2011-12-28
Line count: 18
Word count: 104