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by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)

To Anthea, who may command him anything
 (Sung text for setting by D. Arditti)
 Matches base text
Language: English 
Bid me to live, and I will live
  Thy Protestant to be:
Or bid me love, and I will give
  A loving heart to thee.

A heart as soft, a heart as kind,
  A heart as sound and free,
As in the whole world thou canst find,
 That heart I'll give to thee.

Bid that heart stay, and it will stay,
  To honour thy Decree:
Or bid it languish quite away,
  And 't shall doe so for thee.

Bid me to weep, and I will weep,
  While I have eyes to see:
And having none, yet I will keep
  A heart to weep for thee.

Bid me despair, and I'll despair,
  Under that cypress-tree:
Or bid me die, and I will dare
  E'en Death, to die for thee.

Thou art my life, my love, my heart,
The very eyes of me:
And has command of ev'ry part,
To live and die for thee.

Composition:

    Set to music by David Arditti (b. 1964), "To Anthea, who may command him anything", op. 9 no. 3, from Gather Ye Rosebuds, no. 3

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Herrick (1591 - 1674)

See other settings of this text.


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 153

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