My faint spirit was sitting in the light Of thy looks, my love; It panted for thee like the hind at noon For the brooks, my love. Thy barb, whose hoofs outspeed the tempest's flight, Bore thee far from me; My heart, for my weak feet were weary soon, Did companion thee. Ah! fleeter far than fleetest storm or steed, Or the death they bear, The heart which tender thought clothes like a dove With the wings of care; In the battle, in the darkness, in the need, Shall mine cling to thee, Nor claim one smile for all the comfort, love, It may bring to thee.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 - 1822), "From the Arabic", subtitle: "An imitation" [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 John Francis Barnett (1837 - 1916), "My faint spirit", published 1834 [ soprano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Mary Grant Carmichael (1851 - 1935), "My faint spirit", op. 12, published 187-? [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ellen Dickson (1819 - 1878), as Dolores, "Love-Song", published 1863 [ voice and piano ], London [sung text not yet checked]
- by Roger Quilter (1877 - 1953), "Arab love song", op. 25 (Six songs) no. 4, published 1927 [ voice and piano ], Winthrop Rogers [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Arthur Sullivan, Sir (1842 - 1900), "Arabian Love Song", published 1866 [ voice and piano ], Chappell and Co. [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Arabské verše", Prague, J. Otto, first published 1901
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 107
V tvých očí světle moje duše vroucí
ve poklidu dlela, má drahá!
a jak po zdrojích laň v polednách pílí,
se po tobě chvěla, má drahá!
Tvůj hřebec, bouř jenž předčí řvoucí,
tě odnes’ ode mne v dál,
mé srdce — nohy hned by chabé byly —
šlo za tebou i můj žal.
Rychlejší bouře a rychlejší koně
i smrti, již nese, více
je srdce, myšlenku jež něžnou halí,
jak starostlivým křídlem holubice.
Ó v nouzi, tmách a v bitev divém shoně
mé srdce k tvému se uklání
za všecko, drahá, cokoliv ti dává,
nežádá ani usmání!
Confirmed with SHELLEY, P. B. Výbor lyriky, translated by Jaroslav Vrchlický, Praha: J. Otto, 1901, page 107.
Text Authorship:
- by Jaroslav Vrchlický (1853 - 1912), "Arabské verše", Prague, J. Otto, first published 1901 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 - 1822), "From the Arabic", subtitle: "An imitation"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-07-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 97