Ye hooded witches, baleful shapes that moan, Quench your fantastic lanterns and be still; For now the moon through heaven sails alone, Shedding her peaceful rays from hill to hill. The faun from out his dim and secret place Draws nigh the darkling pool and from his dream Half-wakens, seeing there his sylvan face Reflected, and the wistful eyes that gleam. To his cold lips he sets the pipe to blow Some drowsy note that charms the listening air: The dryads from their trees come down and creep Near to his side; monotonous and low, He plays and plays till at the woodside there Stirs to the voice of everlasting sleep.
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Text Authorship:
- by Siegfried Lorraine Sassoon (1886 - 1967), "Night-Piece", appears in Melodies, 1912 (untitled), revised 1917 [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 Dennis Wickens (b. 1926), "Ye hooded witches, baleful shapes that moan" [ tenor and orchestra ], from Five Songs for Tenor and Orchestra [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-10-19
Line count: 14
Word count: 111