by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928)
The bullfinches
Language: English
Brother Bulleys, let us sing From the dawn till evening! - For we know not that we go not When the day's pale pinions fold Unto those who sang of old. When I flew to Blackmoor Vale, Whence the green-gowned faeries hail, Roosting near them I could hear them Speak of queenly Nature's ways, Means, and moods,--well known to fays. All we creatures, nigh and far (Said they there), the Mother's are: Yet she never shows endeavour To protect from warrings wild Bird or beast she calls her child. Busy in her handsome house Known as Space, she falls a-drowse; Yet, in seeming, works on dreaming, While beneath her groping hands Fiends make havoc in her bands. How her hussif'ry succeeds She unknows or she unheeds, All things making for Death's taking! --So the green-gowned faeries say Living over Blackmoor way. Come then, brethren, let us sing, From the dawn till evening! - For we know not that we go not When the day's pale pinions fold Unto those who sang of old.
A. Serrell sets stanzas 1-2, 6
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928), "The bullfinches", appears in Poems of the Past and Present, first published 1902 [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 Alys F. Serrell , "The bullfinches", published 1914, stanzas 1-2,6. [voice and piano] [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-06-18
Line count: 30
Word count: 171