by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

What is beauty but a breath
Language: English 
Our translations:  GER
What is beauty but a breath?
Fancies twin at birth & death,
The colour of a damask rose,
That fadeth when the northwind blowes:
'tis such that though all sorts do crave it,
they know not what it is to have it:
a thing that some time stoops not to a king
and yet most open to the commonst thing:
For she that is most fair,
Is open to the aire.

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • GER German (Deutsch) (Linda Godry) , title 1: "Ist Schönheit nicht wie des Atems Hauch?", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Linda Godry

This text was added to the website: 2007-08-14
Line count: 10
Word count: 71