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by W. H. (Wystan Hugh) Auden (1907 - 1973)

If I could tell you
Language: English 
Time will say nothing but I told you so,
Time only knows the price we have to pay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

If we should weep when clowns put on their show,
If we should stumble when musicians play,
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

There are no fortunes to be told, although,
Because I love you more than I can say,
If I could tell you I would let you know.

The winds must come from somewhere when the blow,
There must be reasons why the leaves decay;
Time will say nothing but I told you so.

Perhaps the roses really want to grow,
The vision seriously intends to stay;
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Suppose the lions all get up and go,
And all the brooks and soldiers run away;
Will Time say nothing but I told you so?
If I could tell you I would let you know.

Text Authorship:

  • by W. H. (Wystan Hugh) Auden (1907 - 1973) [author's text not yet checked 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 Rudolf Escher (1912 - 1980), "If I could tell you", 1975, from Three poems by W.H. Auden, no. 1 [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Juliana Hall (b. 1958), "If I could tell you", 1992, first performed 1995 [ baritone and piano ], from Death's Echo -- 5 songs for Baritone and Piano, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this page: Jeroen Scholten

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 19
Word count: 165

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