by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Language: English
Against these turbid turquoise skies The light and luminous balloons Dip and drift like satin moons, Drift like silken butterflies; Reel with every windy gust, Rise and reel like dancing girls, Float like strange transparent pearls, Fall and float like silver dust. Now to the low leaves they cling, Each with coy fantastic pose, Each a petal of a rose Straining at a gossamer string. Then to the tall trees they climb, Like thin globes of amethyst, Wandering opals keeping tryst With the rubies of the lime.
First published in Lady's Pictorial, Christmas Number, 1887, as one of the "Fantaisies Décoratives"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Composition:
- Set to music by Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884 - 1920), "Les Ballons", A. 40 (1912-5), published 1986 [ high voice and piano ]
Text Authorship:
- by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), "Les Ballons"
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Dezső Kosztolányi) , "Les ballons"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 87