by George William Russell (1867 - 1935)
Was it because the Easter time
Language: English
Was it because the Easter time With mystic nature was in chime That memory was roused from sleep, Or was deep calling unto deep? The Lord in man had risen here, From the dark sepulchre of fear, Was wilful, laughing, undismayed, Though on a fragile barricade The bullet rang, the death star broke, The street waved dizzily in smoke, And there the fierce and lovely breath Of flame in the grey mist was death.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by George William Russell (1867 - 1935), no title, from Michael, first published 1919 [author's text not yet checked 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 Brian Boydell (1917 - 2000), "Was it because the Easter Time", 1965 [alto, baritone, chorus, and orchestra], from the cantata A Terrible Beauty is Born [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-08-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 74