The pearl and the rose
Language: English 
(He sings)
What shall I give thee, my beautiful one,
A moonwhite pearl for thy golden zone?
From a thousand fathoms of deep green sea
A diver brought this rare pearl to me!

(She sings)
Nay, nay, my lover thy rich gems keep,
For I have dived in a mightier deep.
I looked in thine eyes, and thy soul I won,
And my pearl is love, and love alone.

(He sings)
Then a rose I'll give thee, my fairest one!
Which the odorous South has breathed upon,
From the Shah's most treasured, best guarded tree
Boldly I stole it, this rose for thee.

(She sings)
Nay, the loveliest flower from east or west,
Is breathing, is blooming on my breast,
From thine I plucked it, to keep for my own,
And my rose is love, and love alone.

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Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2009-02-19
Line count: 20
Word count: 138