by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928)
Julie‑Jane
Language: English
Sing; how 'a would sing! How 'a would raise the tune When we rode in the waggon from harvesting By the light o' the moon! Dance; how 'a would dance! If a fiddlestring did but sound She would hold out her coats, give a slanting glance, And go round and round. Laugh; how 'a would laugh! Her peony lips would part As if none such a place for a lover to quaff At the deeps of a heart. Julie, O girl of joy, Soon, soon that lover he came. Ah, yes; and gave thee a baby-boy, But never his name . . . -- Tolling for her, as you guess; And the baby too . . . 'Tis well. You knew her in maidhood likewise? -- Yes, That's her burial bell. "I suppose," with a laugh, she said, "I should blush that I'm not a wife; But how can it matter, so soon to be dead, What one does in life!" When we sat making the mourning By her death-bed side, said she, "Dears, how can you keep from your lovers, adorning In honour of me!" Bubbling and brightsome eyed! But now -- O never again. She chose her bearers before she died From her fancy-men.
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928), "Julie-Jane", appears in Time's Laughingstocks and Other Verses, first published 1909 [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 Arnold Atkinson Cooke (1906 - 2005), "Julie-Jane" [ baritone and piano ], from Country Songs [sung text not yet checked]
- by Juliana Hall (b. 1958), "Julie Jane", 2006 [ baritone and piano ], from Julie Jane -- 5 songs for Baritone and Piano, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-14
Line count: 32
Word count: 203