I cannot tell why, But the rustling of grass, As the summer winds pass Through the field where I lie, Bring to life a lost day, Long ago, far away, When in childhood I lay Looking up at the sky And the white clouds that pass, Trailing Isles of grey shadow Across the gold grass…. O, the dreams that drift by With the slow flowing years, Hopes, Memories, tears, in the rustling grass.
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Confirmed with Traditions in literature, ed. by James Edwin Miller, Scott, Foresman, 1987.
Text Authorship:
- by Alfred Noyes (1880 - 1958), "The Rustling of Grass" [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 Gwendolyn Avril Coleridge-Taylor (1903 - 1998), "The Rustling of Grass", op. 7 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2025-05-07
Line count: 15
Word count: 73