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by Arthur Symons (1865 - 1945)

I saw her shadow on the grass
Language: English 
I.
I saw her shadow on the grass
      That day we walked together.
Across the field where the pond was
I saw her shadow on the grass.
And now I sigh and say, Alas!
      That e'er in summer weather
I saw her shadow on the grass
      That day we walked together!

II.
Hope bowed his head in sleep:
      Ah me and wellaway!
Although I cannot weep,
Hope bowed his head in sleep.
The heavy hours creep:
      When is the break of day?
Hope bowed his head in sleep,
      Ah me and wellaway!

III.
The sea on the beach
      Flung the foam of its ire.
We watched without speech
The sea on the beach,
And we clung each to each
      As the tempest shrilled higher
And the sea on the beach
      Flung the foam of its ire.

IV.
When Love is once dead
      Who shall awake him?
Bitter our bread
When Love is once dead
His comforts are fled,
      His favours forsake him.
When Love is once dead
      Who shall awake him?

V.
Love is a swallow
      Flitting with spring:
Though we would follow,
Love is a swallow,
All his vows hollow:
      Than let us sing,
Love is a swallow
      Flitting with spring.

Available sung texts:   ← What is this?

•   M. Carmichael 

M. Carmichael sets stanza 5

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Arthur Symons (1865 - 1945), "Vestigia", appears in Ballades and Rondeaus, Chants Royal, Sestinas, Villanelles, etc., ed. Gleeson White, New York: D. Appleton and Company, pages 235-236, first published 1888 [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 Mary Grant Carmichael (1851 - 1935), "Love is a swallow", published 1900, stanza 5 [voice and piano], from Two Songs, no. 2, London, C. Vincent [
     text verified 1 time
    ]

Researcher for this page: Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2013-04-19
Line count: 45
Word count: 202

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