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by William Blake (1757 - 1827)

The argument
 (Sung text for setting by C. Bryant)
 Matches original text
Language: English 
Rintrah roars & shakes his fires in the burden'd air;
Hungry clouds swag on the deep

Once meek, and in a perilous path,
The just man kept his course along
The vale of death.
Roses are planted where thorns grow.
And on the barren heath
Sing the honey bees.

Then the perilous path was planted:
And a river, and a spring
On every cliff and tomb;
And on the bleached bones
Red clay brought forth.

Till the villain left the paths of ease,
To walk in perilous paths, and drive
The just man into barren climes.

Now the sneaking serpent walks
In mild humility.
And the just man rages in the wilds
Where lions roam.

Rintrah roars & shakes his fires in the burden'd air;
Hungry clouds swag on the deep. 

Composition:

    Set to music by Curtis Bryant (b. 1949), "The argument", 1983, published 1984 [ bass-baritone and piano ], from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, no. 1

Text Authorship:

  • by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "The argument", appears in The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-11-02
Line count: 22
Word count: 131

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