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by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889)

Dearest, three months ago, when we loved each other so
 (Sung text for setting by D. Weiland)
 See original
Language: English 
 ... 

XII.
Dearest, three months ago
When we loved each other so,
Lived and loved the same
Till an evening came
When a shaft from the devil's bow
Pierced to our ingle-glow,
And the friends were friend and foe!

XIII.
Not from the heart beneath---
'Twas a bubble born of breath,
Neither sneer nor vaunt,
Nor reproach nor taunt.
See a word, how it severeth!
Oh, power of life and death
In the tongue, as the Preacher saith!

XIV.
Woman, and will you cast
For a word, quite off at last
Me, your own, your You,---
Since, as truth is true,
I was You all the happy past---
Me do you leave aghast
With the memories We amassed?

 ... 

XVI.
What of a hasty word?
Is the fleshly heart not stirred
By a worm's pin-prick
Where its roots are quick?
See the eye, by a fly's foot blurred---
Ear, when a straw is heard
Scratch the brain's coat of curd!

XVII.
Foul be the world or fair
More or less, how can I care?
'Tis the world the same
For my praise or blame,
And endurance is easy there.
Wrong in the one thing rare---
Oh, it is hard to bear!

 ... 

Composition:

    Set to music by Douglas Gordon Weiland (b. 1954), "Dearest, three months ago, when we loved each other so", op. 10 (Five First Songs), stanzas 12-14,16-17 [ soprano and piano ]

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "A lovers' quarrel", appears in Men and Women, first published 1855

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2011-10-24
Line count: 176
Word count: 868

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