Over the mountain growths, disease and sorrow,
An uncaught bird is ever hovering, hovering,
High in the purer, happier air.
  
From imperfection's murkiest cloud,
Darts always forth one ray of perfect light,
One flash of Heaven's glory.
  
To fashion's, custom's discord,
To the mad Babel-din, the deafening orgies,
Soothing each lull, a strain is heard, just heard,
From some far shore, the final chorus sounding.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

• by Walt Whitman (1819 - 1892), no title, appears in Song of the Universal, no. 3 [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 Wallingford Riegger (1885 - 1961), "From some far shore", op. 32b, published 1948. [SATB chorus and piano] [
   text not verified 
  ]

This text (or a part of it) is used in a work

• by Homer Albert Norris (1860?5 - 1920), "Come, said the Muse", published 1903 [vocal trio for soprano, tenor, and baritone with piano], from The Flight of the Eagle.
  • Go to the full setting text.
    

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-02-11
Line count: 10
Word count: 65