by Robert Seymour Bridges (1844 - 1930)
I have loved flowers that fade
Language: English
I have loved flowers that fade, Within whose magic tents Rich hues have marriage made With sweet unmemoried scents: A honeymoon delight, A joy of love at sight, That ages in an hour My song be like a flower!. I have loved airs that die Before their charm is writ Along a liquid sky Trembling to welcome it. Notes, that with pulse of fire Proclaim the spirit's desire, Then die, and are nowhere My song be like an air!. Die, song, die like a breath, And wither as a bloom; Fear not a flowery death, Dread not an airy tomb! Fly with delight, fly hence! 'Twas thine love's tender sense To feast; now on thy bier Beauty shall shed a tear.
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Text Authorship:
- by Robert Seymour Bridges (1844 - 1930), no title, appears in Poems, first published 1879 [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 Malcolm Boyd , "I have loved flowers that fade", published 1961 [ satb chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by David Campbell Dorward (b. 1933), "I have loved flowers that fade" [ soprano or tenor and piano ], from Three Songs for High Voice and Piano [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956), "I have loved flowers that fade", op. 17 no. 2 (1934-7) [ SAT chorus a cappella ], from Seven Unaccompanied Part Songs, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ivor (Bertie) Gurney (1890 - 1937), "I have loved flowers that fade", 1920 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Desmond Hayward Ratcliffe (1917 - 2001), "I have loved flowers that fade", published 1950 [ satb chorus a cappella ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-08
Line count: 24
Word count: 121