A memory of the players in a mirror at midnight | They mouth love's language. Gnash

by James Joyce (1882 - 1941)

A memory of the players in a mirror at midnight

Language: English

Our translations: FRE

They mouth love's language. Gnash
The thirteen teeth
Your lean jaws grin with. Lash
Your itch and quailing, nude greed of the flesh. 
Love's breath in you is stale, worded or sung,
As sour as cat's breath,
Harsh of tongue. 

This grey that stares
Lies not, stark skin and bone. 
Leave greasy lips their kissing. None
Will choose her what you see to mouth upon. 
Dire hunger holds his hour. 
Pluck forth your heart, saltblood, a fruit of tears. 
Pluck and devour!

First published in Poesia, April 1920

Text Authorship:

by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), "A memory of the players in a mirror at midnight", written 1917, appears in Pomes Penyeach, no. 11 [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 David Del Tredici (1937 - 2023), "A memory of the players in a mirror at midnight", 1965 [ soprano, mezzo-soprano or counter-tenor, and instrumental ensemble ], from Night Conjure-Verse, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
by (Aynsley) Eugene Goossens, Sir (1893 - 1962), "A memory of the players in a mirror at midnight", op. 49 (Two Songs) no. 1 (1930), published 1933, first performed 1932 [ voice and piano ], from The Joyce Book, no. 11 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Donald James Martino (1931 - 2005), "A memory of the players in a mirror at midnight", published 1970 [ soprano, bass, or tenor and piano ], from Three songs, no. 3 [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: 14
Word count: 82