by Alfred Tennyson, Lord (1809 - 1892)
Language: English
Fair ship, that from the Italian shore Sailest the placid ocean-plains With my lost Arthur's loved remains, Spread thy full wings, and waft him o'er. So draw him home to those that mourn In vain; a favourable speed Ruffle thy mirror'd mast, and lead Thro' prosperous floods his holy urn. All night no ruder air perplex Thy sliding keel, till Phosphor, bright As our pure love, thro' early light Shall glimmer on the dewy decks. Sphere all your lights around, above; Sleep, gentle heavens, before the prow; Sleep, gentle winds, as he sleeps now, My Friend, the brother of my love; My Arthur, whom I shall not see Till all my widow'd race be run; Dear as the mother to the son, More than my brothers are to me.
Composition:
- Set to music by Jonathan Dove (b. 1959), "Fair Ship", 2017 [ tenor and piano ], from Under Alter'd Skies, no. 1, confirmed with a concert programme booklet
Text Authorship:
- by Alfred Tennyson, Lord (1809 - 1892), no title, written 1849, appears in In Memoriam A. H. H. obiit MDCCCXXXIII, no. 9, first published 1850
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-07-19
Line count: 20
Word count: 129