Silently she's combing

by James Joyce (1882 - 1941)

Silently she's combing

Language: English

Available translation(s): FRE

Silently she's combing, 
  Combing her long hair, 
Silently and graciously, 
  With many a pretty air. 

The sun is in the willow leaves 
  And on the dappled grass, 
And still she's combing her long hair 
  Before the looking-glass. 

I pray you, cease to comb out, 
  Comb out your long hair, 
For I have heard of witchery 
  Under a pretty air, 

That makes as one thing to the lover 
  Staying and going hence, 
All fair, with many a pretty air 
  And many a negligence.

About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship:

by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 24, first published 1907 [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 David Arditti (b. 1964), "Silently she's combing", op. 20 no. 15 (1998) [ tenor and string quartet ], from Chamber Music, no. 15 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Jeffrey Cohen (b. 1957), "Silently she's combing" [ soprano and cello ] [sung text not yet checked]
by Ross Lee Finney (1906 - 1997), "Silently she's combing", 1952, published 1985, first performed 1975 [ voice and piano ], from Chamber Music, no. 24, Henmar Press [sung text not yet checked]
by Tibor Serly (1901 - 1978), "Silently she's combing", 1927 [ mezzo-soprano and chamber orchestra ], from Four Songs from "Chamber Music" [sung text not yet checked]
by Rick Sowash (b. 1950), "Silently she's combing,", 1998 [ mezzo-soprano, viola, clarinet, flute, and piano ], from Along the River, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
by (Thomas) Gerard Victory (1921 - 1995), "Silently she's combing", 1954 [ tenor, SATB chorus, and instrumental ensemble ], from Five Songs by James Joyce [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 82