by James Joyce (1882 - 1941)
A Prayer
Language: English
Available translation(s): FRE
Again! Come, give, yield all your strength to me! From far a low word breathes on the breaking brain Its cruel calm, submission's misery, Gentling her awe as to a soul predestined. Cease, silent love! My doom! Blind me with your dark nearness, O have mercy, beloved enemy of my will! I dare not withstand the cold touch that I dread. Draw from me still My slow life! Bend deeper on me, threatening head, Proud by my downfall, remembering, pitying Him who is, him who was! Again! Together, folded by the night, they lay on earth. I hear From far her low word breathe on my breaking brain. Come! I yield. Bend deeper upon me! I am here. Subduer, do not leave me! Only joy, only anguish, Take me, save me, soothe me, O spare me!
Authorship
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), "A prayer", written 1924, appears in Pomes Penyeach, no. 13, first published 1927 [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 Bernard van Dieren (1887 - 1936), "A Prayer", 1930, published 1932 [voice and piano], from The Joyce Book, no. 13. [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , title 1: "Une prière", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Barbara Miller
Text added to the website: 2005-01-13 00:00:00
Last modified: 2014-06-16 10:02:12
Line count: 18
Word count: 136