by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)
To Music, to becalm his Fever See original
Language: English
Charm me asleep, and melt me so With thy delicious numbers, That, being ravish'd, hence I go Away in easy slumbers. Ease my sick head, And make my bed, Thou power that canst sever From me this ill, And quickly still, Though thou not kill My fever. Thou sweetly canst convert the same From a consuming fire Into a gentle licking flame, And make it thus expire. Then make me weep My pains asleep; And give me such reposes That I, poor I, May think thereby I live and die 'Mongst roses. Fall on me like the silent dew, Or like those maiden showers Which, by the peep of day, do strew A baptism o'er the flowers Melt, melt my pain With thy soft strains; That, having ease me given, With full delight I leave this light, And take my flight For Heaven.
Composition:
- Set to music by Eric Ewazen (b. 1954), "To Music, to becalm his Fever", 1991 [ voice and guitar or piano ]
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674), "To Music, to becalm his fever"
See other settings of this text.
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 33
Word count: 143