Sweet sounds, begone -- Whose music on my ear Stirs foolish discontent Or lingering here; When, if I crossed The crystal verge of death, Him I should see. Who these sounds murmureth. Sweet sounds, begone-- Ask not my heart to break Its bond of bravery for Sweet quiet's sake; Lure not my feet To leave the path they must Tread on, unfaltering, Till I sleep in dust. Sweet sounds, begone! Though silence brings apace Deadly disquiet Of this homeless place; And all I love In beauty cries to me, "We but vain shadows And reflections be."
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Text Authorship:
- by Walter De la Mare (1873 - 1956), "Music unheard", appears in The Listeners and Other Poems, first published 1912 [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 Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889 - 1960), "Sweet sounds, begone", op. 14 (Two Songs) no. 1, published 1932, first performed 1918 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Dennis Wickens (b. 1926), "Music unheard" [ high voice and piano ], from The Everlasting Voices [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-11
Line count: 24
Word count: 95