by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)
Superfluous were the sun
Language: English
Our translations: FRE
Superfluous were the sun When excellence is dead; He were superfluous every day, For every day is said That syllable whose faith Just saves it from despair, And whose 'I'll meet you' hesitates If love inquire, 'Where?' Upon his dateless fame Our periods may lie, As stars that drop anonymous From an abundant sky.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Poems by Emily Dickinson. Third Series, ed by Mabel Loomis Todd, Boston: Roberts Brothers, 1896.
Text as set by Thomas:
Superfluous were the Sun When Excellence be dead He were superfluous every Day For every Day be said That syllable whose Faith Just saves it from Despair And whose "I'll meet You" hesitates If Love inquire "Where"? Upon His dateless Fame Our Periods may lie As Stars that drop anonymous From an abundant sky.
Text Authorship:
- by Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886), no title, appears in Poems: Third Series, in 4. Time and Eternity, no. 34 [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 Augusta Read Thomas (b. 1964), no title, 2004, first performed 2006 [ mezzo-soprano (or soprano or counter-tenor) and 3 percussion ], from Sun Songs -- Three Micro-Operas, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2026-02-25
Line count: 12
Word count: 54