by Carl Sandburg (1878 - 1967)
Joy
Language: English
Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands And take it when it runs by, As the Apache dancer Clutches his woman. I have seen them Live long and laugh loud, Sent on singing, singing, Smashed to the heart Under the ribs With a terrible love. Joy always, Joy everywhere -- Let joy kill you! Keep away from the little deaths.
Text Authorship:
- by Carl Sandburg (1878 - 1967), "Joy", appears in Chicago Poems, first published 1916 [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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Joy", 2009 [high voice and piano] [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ruth Crawford-Seeger (1901 - 1953), "Joy", 1929, published 1929, first performed 1930 [contralto and piano], from Five Songs, no. 3 [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-12
Line count: 15
Word count: 61