by Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928)

Last love word
Language: English 
 This is the last; the very, very last!
   Anon, and all is dead and dumb,
   Only a pale shroud over the past,
     That cannot be
    Of value small or vast,
     Love, then to me!

 I can say no more: I have even said too much.
   I did not mean that this should come:
   I did not know 'twould swell to such -
     Nor, perhaps, you -
    When that first look and touch,
     Love, doomed us two!

Text Authorship:

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

  • by Andrew Downes (1950 - 2023), "Last love word", op. 15 no. 4, published 1977 [ soprano, flute or tenor recorder, harpsichord, and cello ], from Lost Love, no. 4, West Midlands, England : Lynwood Music Photo Editions [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 74