by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894)
A visit from the sea
Language: English
Far from the loud sea beaches Where he goes fishing and crying, Here in the inland garden Why is the sea-gull flying? Here are no fish to dive for; Here is the corn and lea; Here are the green trees rustling. Hie away home to sea! Fresh is the river water And quiet among the rushes; This is no home for the sea-gull But for the rooks and thrushes. Pity the bird that has wandered! Pity the sailor ashore! Hurry him home to the ocean, Let him come here no more! High on the sea-cliff ledges The white gulls are trooping and crying, Here among rooks and roses, Why is the sea-gull flying?
J. Fontyn sets stanzas 1-4
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894), "A visit from the sea" [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 Jacqueline Fontyn (b. 1930), "A visit from the sea", 2005, stanzas 1-4 [ contralto or piano, viola or violoncello, and piano ], from Mouettes, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ivor (Bertie) Gurney (1890 - 1937), "A visit from the sea", 1909 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by (Gerald) Graham Peel (1878 - 1937), "A visit from the sea" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eleanor Smith , "A visit from the sea", published <<1940 [ voice and piano ], from Song Pictures [sung text not yet checked]
- by Colin Moncrieff Campbell Taylor (1881 - 1973), "A visit from the sea", published <<1940 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-11-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 113