by William Schwenck Gilbert (1836 - 1911)
Sweethearts
Language: English
"Oh take this flow'r, dear love," said he, He spake with a fearful sigh. That night he was going across the sea, And this was his last good-bye. She took the gift with a mocking smile, In the flush of her maiden pride, With heartless guile she dallied awhile, Then threw the flow'r aside. Oh, love for a year, a week, a day, But alas for the love that loves alway. Give me a flow'r, dear love, said he, She threw the flow'r he craved, Now by the love that I have for thee, My breaking heart is saved. He kiss'd it once with a tender sigh, And treasured it near his heart, Tho' years roll by, this flow'r and I Shall never, never part. Oh, love for a year, a week, a day, But alas for the love that loves alway. They met again in the after years, In life's sad sorrowful time; Their heads were heavy with age and tears, And white with the winter rime. He found the flow'r she scorn'd in play, At her faithful heart did dwell; His flow'r, they say, He had cast away Before its petals fell. Oh, love for a year, a week, a day, But alas for the love that loves alway.
Authorship:
- by William Schwenck Gilbert (1836 - 1911) [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 Arthur Sullivan, Sir (1842 - 1900), "Sweethearts", published 1875 [ voice and piano ] [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-07-24
Line count: 30
Word count: 211