by Alfred Edward Housman (1859 - 1936)
The Isle of Portland ‑‑ The star‑filled skies Matches original text
Language: English
The star-filled seas are smooth to-night From France to England strown; Black towers above the Portland light The felon-quarried stone. On yonder island, not to rise, Never to stir forth free, Far from his folk a dead lad lies That once was friends with me. Lie you easy, dream you light, And sleep you fast for aye; And luckier may you find the night Than ever you found the day.
Composition:
- Set to music by John Ramsden Williamson (1929 - 2015), "The Isle of Portland -- The star-filled skies", published 2001 [ baritone and piano ], from Four Housman Songs, no. 1, Da Capo Music Ltd.
Text Authorship:
- by Alfred Edward Housman (1859 - 1936), "The Isle of Portland", appears in A Shropshire Lad, no. 59, first published 1896
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 70