by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
Ave Maria Gratia Plena
Language: English
Was this His coming! I had hoped to see A scene of wondrous glory, as was told Of some great God who in a rain of gold Broke open bars and fell on Danae: Or a dread vision as when Semele Sickening for love and unappeased desire Prayed to see God's clear body, and the fire Caught her brown limbs and slew her utterly: With such glad dreams I sought this holy place, And now with wondering eyes and heart I stand Before this supreme mystery of Love: Some kneeling girl with passionless pale face, An angel with a lily in his hand, And over both the white wings of a Dove.
Text Authorship:
- by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900), "Ave Maria Gratia Plena" [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 Derek Healey (b. 1936), "Ave Maria Gratia Plena", op. 114 no. 5 (2007) [ soprano and piano ], from Golden Apples (Oscar Wilde), no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Michael Linton , "Ave Maria Gratia Plena", 2016-2017 [ bass-baritone and piano ], from Wilde songs, no. 13 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2023-06-17
Line count: 14
Word count: 112