by Charles Hanson Towne (1877 - 1949)
I have known loveliness
Language: English
I have known loveliness that broke my heart: Pale aspens thro' an ev'ning wet with rain; A dusty road whereon the rattling wain Went creaking homeward from some crowded mart-- A road that wandered like a thing apart, And made me dream of lost youth once again. And what of roses with their crimson stain Against a wall that crumbled from the start? I drink all wonder avidly, lest I Be absent from this world within a day. I scarcely dare to sleep, or turn away, Fearing that Death may whisper, "Say good-bye To this bright scene, and follow me!" Oh, why is Life so brief? Why can we not delay?
Authorship:
- by Charles Hanson Towne (1877 - 1949) [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 Walter Kramer (1890 - 1969), "I have known loveliness", 1924, published 1924 [medium voice and piano], from Beauty of Earth, no. 1, New York: J. Fischer & Bro. [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-04-26
Line count: 14
Word count: 111