by Alfred Edward Housman (1859 - 1936)
If truth in hearts that perish
Language: English
If truth in hearts that perish Could move the powers on high, I think the love I bear you Should make you not to die. Sure, sure, if stedfast meaning, If single thought could save, The world might end tomorrow, You should not see the grave. This long and sure-set liking, This boundless will to please, - Oh, you should live for ever If there were help in these. But now, since all is idle, To this lost heart be kind, Ere to a town you journey Where friends are ill to find.
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Text Authorship:
- by Alfred Edward Housman (1859 - 1936), no title, appears in A Shropshire Lad, no. 33, first published 1896 [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 John (Nicholson) Ireland (1879 - 1962), "The vain desire", published 1921 [ voice and piano ], from The Land of Lost Content, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by John Ramsden Williamson (1929 - 2015), "If truth in hearts that perish" [ baritone and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 92