by Adela Florence Nicolson (1865 - 1904)
The Rice was Under Water
Language: English
The Rice was under water, and the land was scourged with rain, The nights were desolation, and the day was born in pain. Ah, the famine and the fever and the cruel, swollen streams, I had died, except for Krishna, who consoled me—in my dreams! The Burning-Ghats were smoking, and the jewels melted down, The Temples lay deserted, for the people left the town. Yet I was more than happy, though passing strange it seems, For I spent my nights with Krishna, who loved me—in my dreams!
Confirmed with Last Poems: Translations from the Book of Indian Love by Laurence Hope, Project Gutenberg, 2004.
Text Authorship:
- by Adela Florence Nicolson (1865 - 1904), "The Rice was Under Water", London: John Lane; New York : William Heinemann, first published 1905 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Amy Woodforde-Finden (1860 - 1919), "The Rice was Under Water", published 1911 [ voice and piano ], from Stars of the Desert : Four more Indian Love Lyrics, no. 3, Boosey and Co. [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-01-10
Line count: 8
Word count: 87