Tous mes propos jadis ne vous faisoyent instance Que de l'ardant amour dont j'estois embrazé : Mais depuis que vostre œil sur moy s'est appaisé Je ne vous puis parler rien que de ma constance. L'amour mesme de qui j'espreuve l'assistance Qui sçait combien l'esprit de l'homme est fort aisé D'aller aux changemens, se tient comme abusé Voyant qu'en vous aimans j'aime sans repentance. Il s'en remonstre assez qui bruslent vivement, Mais la fin de leur feu qui se va consommant N'est qu'un brin de fumee & qu'un morceau de cendre. Je laisse ces amans croupir en leurs humeurs Et me tiens pour contens, s'il vous plaist de comprendre Que mon feu ne sçauroit mourir si je ne meurs.
Text Authorship:
- by Jean de Sponde (1557 - 1595), "Sonnet XI" [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):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Gilbert Farm Cunningham (1900 - 1967) ; composed by Ian Venables.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2023-02-05
Line count: 14
Word count: 118
First in my verse, I hitherto have set The burning love in which my passions glow, But now that kinder looks your eyes bestow, All but my constancy I would forget. Even Love himself, whose spirits help avails me yet, Aware how mortal spirits often go From change to change, now stands amazed to know That, loving you, I love without regret. Many there are who burn with hot desires, Yet in the end their self-consuming fires To wisps of smoke or scraps of ash will turn. But in their squalor let such lovers lie; I am well pleased if you consent to learn My fire, till I am dead, will never die.
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Text Authorship:
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Jean de Sponde (1557 - 1595), "Sonnet XI"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ian Venables (b. 1955), "Sonnet XI", op. 38 no. 3 (2006), first performed 2006 [ tenor, clarinet, piano ], from On The Wings of Love, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2023-02-05
Line count: 14
Word count: 114