by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)
I would not paint a picture
Language: English
I would not paint -- a picture -- I'd rather be the One Its bright impossibility To dwell -- delicious -- on -- And wonder how the fingers feel Whose rare -- celestial -- stir -- Evokes so sweet a Torment -- Such sumptuous -- Despair -- I would not talk, like Cornets -- I'd rather be the One Raised softly to the Ceilings -- And out, and easy on -- Through Villages of Ether -- Myself endued Balloon By but a lip of Metal -- The pier to my Pontoon -- Nor would I be a Poet -- It's finer -- own the Ear -- Enamored -- impotent -- content -- The License to revere, A privilege so awful What would the Dower be, Had I the Art to stun myself With Bolts of Melody!
Text Authorship:
- by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886) [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 Jake Heggie (b. 1961), "I would not paint a picture", 2001, first performed 2001 [mezzo-soprano and piano], from The Starry Night, no. 7. [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-04-30
Line count: 24
Word count: 113