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by William Sharp (1855 - 1905), as Fiona Macleod

The tide was dark an' heavy with the
Language: English 
The tide was dark an' heavy with the
  burden that it bore,
I heard it talkin', whisperin', upon the weedy
  shore :
Each wave that stirred the sea-weed was like
  a closing door,
'Tis closing doors they hear at last who hear
  no more, no more,
                  My Grief,
                  No more!

The tide was in the salt sea-weed, and like a
  knife it tore,
The hoarse sea-wind went moaning, sooing,
  moaning o'er and o'er,
The wild sea-heart was brooding deep upon
  its ancient lore,
I heard the sob, the sooing sob, the dying
  sob at its core,
                  My Grief,
                  Its core!

The white sea-waves were wan and grey its
  ashy lips before;
The whirled spume between its jaws in floods
  did seaward pour --
O whisperin' weed, O wild sea-waves, O
  hollow baffled roar,
Since one thou hast, O dark dim Sea, why
  callest thou for more,
                  My Grief,
                  For more.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by William Sharp (1855 - 1905), as Fiona Macleod, "The burthen of the tide", appears in From the Hills of Dream, first published 1896 [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 Phyllis Campbell (1891 - 1974), "Rune of the four winds", copyright © 2018 [ voice and piano ], Wirripang Pty Ltd [sung text not yet checked]
  • by George Norman Peterkin (1886 - 1982), "Rune of the Burden of the Tide", published <<1940 [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-08-17
Line count: 30
Word count: 148

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