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