These pools that, though in forests, still reflect The total sky almost without defect, And like the flowers beside them, chill and shiver, Will like the flowers beside them soon be gone, And yet not out by any brook or river, But up by roots to bring dark foliage on. The trees that have it in their pent-up buds To darken nature and be summer woods -- Let them think twice before they use their powers To blot out and drink up and sweep away These flowery waters and these watery flowers From snow that melted only yesterday.
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Text Authorship:
- by Robert Frost (1874 - 1963), "Spring Pools", appears in West-Running Brook, first published 1928 [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 William Thayer Ames (1901 - 1987), "Spring Pools", published 1946 [ high voice, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Henry Dixon Cowell (1897 - 1965), "Spring Pools", L. 864 (1958) [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2005-09-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 97