... 

Darkling I listen; and for many a time
I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Called him soft names in many a mused rhyme,
To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die,
To cease upon the midnight with no pain,
While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad
In such an ecstasy!
Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain -
To thy high requiem become a sod.

First published in Annals of the Fine Arts, July 1819 under the title "Ode to the Nightingale", signed with a cross, revised 1820.

Composition:

Set to music by Ben Moore (b. 1960), "Darkling I listen", stanza 6, from 14 Songs, no. 7, medium high voice and piano

Text Authorship:

• by John Keats (1795 - 1821), "Ode to a Nightingale"

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• CHI Chinese (中文) [singable] (Dr Huaixing Wang) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• HUN Hungarian (Magyar) (Árpád Tóth) , "Óda egy csalogányhoz"
• ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , "Ode a un usignolo", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• SPA Spanish (Español) (Alfredo García) , "Escucho en la oscuridad", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2004-06-14
Line count: 80
Word count: 592