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by Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967)

Song in a minor key
Language: English 
There's a place I know where the birds swing low,
    And wayward vines go roaming,
Where the lilacs nod, and a marble god
    Is pale, in scented gloaming.
And at sunset there comes a lady fair
    Whose eyes are deep with yearning.
By an old, old gate does the lady wait
    Her own true love's returning.

But the days go by, and the lilacs die,
    And trembling birds seek cover;
Yet the lady stands, with her long white hands
    Held out to greet her lover.
And it's there she'll stay till the shadowy day
    A monument they grave her.
She will always wait by the same old gate, --
    The gate her true love gave her.

First published in Life, October 5, 1922

Text Authorship:

  • by Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967), "Song in a minor key", appears in Enough Rope, first published 1926 [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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Song in a minor key", 2008 [mezzo-soprano and piano] [ sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-03-05
Line count: 16
Word count: 115

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