For long I wander'd happily Far out on the world's highway My heart was brave for each new thing and I loved the faraway. I watch'd the gay bright people dance, We laughed, for the road was good. But Oh! I passed where the way was rough I saw it stained with blood - I wander'd on till I tired grew, Far on the world's highway... My heart was sad for what I saw I feared, I feared the faraway. So when one day, O sweetest day, I came to a garden small, A voice my heart knew called me in I answered its blessed call; I left my wand'ring far and wide The freedom and faraway - But my garden blooms with sweet content That's not on the world's highway.
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Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Charles Edward Ives (1874 - 1954), "The world's highway", from Sentimental Ballads, no. 6 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 129