by Andrew Marvell (1621 - 1678)
The Mower's Song
Language: English
My mind was once the true survey Of all these meadows fresh and gay, And in the greenness of the grass Did see its hopes as in a glass; When Juliana came, and she What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. But these, while I with sorrow pine, Grew more luxuriant still and fine, That not one blade of grass you spy’d But had a flower on either side; When Juliana came, and she What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. Unthankful meadows, could you so A fellowship so true forgo? And in your gaudy May-games meet While I lay trodden under feet? When Juliana came, and she What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. But what you in compassion ought, Shall now by my revenge be wrought; And flow’rs, and grass, and I and all, Will in one common ruin fall. For Juliana comes, and she What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me. And thus, ye meadows, which have been Companions of my thoughts more green, Shall now the heraldry become With which I shall adorn my tomb; For Juliana comes, and she What I do to the grass, does to my thoughts and me.
D. Thomas sets stanzas 1-3
Text Authorship:
- by Andrew Marvell (1621 - 1678), "The Mower's Song" [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 David Evan Thomas (b. 1958), "The Mower's Song", 2015, stanzas 1-3 [ tenor and piano ], from Green Thoughts in a Green Shade, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , David Evan Thomas
This text was added to the website: 2024-07-12
Line count: 30
Word count: 216