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by Edgar Lee Masters (1868 - 1950)

The Hill (Part I)
 (Sung text for setting by L. Grier)
 See original
Language: English 
Where are Elmer, Herman, Bert, Tom, and Charley,
The weak of will, the strong of arm, the clown, the boozer, the fighter?
All, all, are sleeping on the hill.

One passed in a fever,
One was burned in a mine,
One was killed in a brawl,
One died in a jail,
One fell from a bridge toiling for children and wife --
All, all are sleeping, sleeping, sleeping on the hill.

Where are Ella, Kate, Mag, Lizzie, and Edith,
The tender heart, the simple soul, the loud, the proud, the happy one? --
All, all, are sleeping on the hill.

One died in shameful child-birth,
One of a thwarted love,
One at the hands of a brute in a brothel,
One of a broken pride, in a search for heart's desire,
One after life in far-away London and Paris
Was brought to her little space by Ella and Kate and Mag --
All, all are sleeping, sleeping, sleeping on the hill.

 ... 

Composition:

    Set to music by Lita Grier (1937 - 2024), "The Hill (Part I)", 2004-2008, stanzas 1-4 [ voice and piano ], from Songs from Spoon River, no. 1, confirmed with a CD booklet

Text Authorship:

  • by Edgar Lee Masters (1868 - 1950), "The Hill", appears in Spoon River Anthology, first published 1916

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-09-26
Line count: 37
Word count: 281

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