When a just man dies, Lamentation and praise, Sorrow and joy, are one. Why then, Why there, Why thus, we cry, did he die? The heavens are silent. What he was, he was: What he is fated to become Depends on us. Remembering his death How we choose to live Will decide its meaning. When a just man dies, Lamentation and praise, Sorrow and joy, are one.
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Authorship:
- by W. H. (Wystan Hugh) Auden (1907 - 1973), "Elegy for J. F. K.", from the Sunday Times, first published 1964 [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 Igor Stravinsky (1882 - 1971), "Elegy for J. F. K.", 1964 [ voice and 3 clarinets ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Jeroen Scholten
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 15
Word count: 67