by James Joyce (1882 - 1941)
Of the dark past
Language: English
Of the dark past A child is born; With joy and grief My heart is torn. Calm in his cradle The living lies. May love and mercy Unclose his eyes! Young life is breathed On the glass; The world that was not Comes to pass. A child is sleeping: An old man gone. O, father forsaken, Fogive your son!
About the headline (FAQ)
First published in New Republic, November 1932Text Authorship:
- by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), "Ecce puer" [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 Del Tredici (1937 - 2023), "Ecce puer", published 1966 [ soprano, chimes, horn and orchestra ], from Syzygy, no. 1, New York : Boosey & Hawkes [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Robin Holloway (b. 1943), "Ecce puer", op. 22 no. 1 (1973), copyright © 1978 [ chorus a cappella ], from Five Madrigals, no. 1, [London] : Oxford University Press : Boosey & Hawkes [sung text not yet checked]
- by Bernard James Naylor (1907 - 1986), "Ecce puer", published 1963 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from Sing Nowell, carol [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ronald Perera (b. 1941), "Ecce Puer", 1985 [ high voice and piano ], from Sleep Now, no. 2, Boosey & Hawkes [sung text not yet checked]
- by Peter Schickele (b. 1935), "Of the dark past" [ soprano and orchestra ] [sung text not yet checked]
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: 59