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by William Barnes (1801 - 1886)

Mater Dolorosa
Language: English 
I’D a dream to-night
    As I fell asleep,
O! the touching sight
    Makes me still to weep:
Of my little lad,
Gone to leave me sad,
Ay, the child I had,
    But was not to keep.

As in heaven high,
    I my child did seek,
There in train came by
    Children fair and meek,
Each in lily white,
With a lamp alight;
Each was clear to sight,
    But they did not speak.

Then, a little sad,
Came my child in turn,
But the lamp he had,
    O it did not burn!
He, to clear my doubt,
Said, half turn’d about,
‘Your tears put it out;
    Mother, never mourn.’

Text Authorship:

  • by William Barnes (1801 - 1886), "Mater Dolorosa" [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 Jane Bingham Abbott (1851 - 1934), "Mater Dolorosa", 1926 [sung text not yet checked]
  • by Lucinda Pillow (b. 1978), "Mater Dolorosa" [ chorus, flute, violin and piano ], from William Barnes Suite, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-09-26
Line count: 24
Word count: 108

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