by William Ernest Henley (1849 - 1903)
Why, my heart, do we love her so?
Language: English
Why, my heart, do we love her so? (Geraldine, Geraldine!) Why does the great sea ebb and flow? -- Why does the round world spin? Geraldine, Geraldine, Bid me my life renew: What is it worth unless I win, Love -- love and you? Why, my heart, when we speak her name (Geraldine, Geraldine!) Throbs the word like a flinging flame? -- Why does the Spring begin? Geraldine, Geraldine, Bid me indeed to be: Open your heart, and take us in, Love -- love and me.
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Text Authorship:
- by William Ernest Henley (1849 - 1903), no title, appears in The Song of Swords and Other Verses, first published 1892 [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 Robert Coningsby Clarke (1879 - 1934), "Geraldine", published 1921. [voice and piano] [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-12-10
Line count: 16
Word count: 82