The Lied and Art Song Texts Page

Songs of Experience

Song Cycle by Elie Siegmeister (1909-1991)


?. The Garden of Love

Language: English

Authorship

See other settings of this text


I went to the Garden of Love,
and saw what I never had seen:
A chapel was built in the midst,
where I used to play on the green.

And the gates of this chapel were shut,
and "Thou shalt not" writ over the door;
So I turn'd to the Garden of Love, 
that so many, many sweet flowers bore;

And I saw it was filled with graves,
and tombstones where flowers should be;
and priests in black gowns were walking their rounds,
and binding with briars my joys and desires.


?. The tyger

Language: English

Authorship

See other settings of this text

Available translations (or transliterations, if applicable):

    * GER German (Walter A. Aue)
    * RUS Russian [singable] (Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov)
    * FRE French (Guy Laffaille)

Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye,  
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?  

In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?  
On what wings dare he aspire?  
What the hand, dare sieze the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?  

What the hammer? what the chain,  
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp,
Dare its deadly terrors clasp!  

When the stars threw down their spears  
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:  
What immortal hand or eye,  
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


Search/Shop for

Sheet music:

 * Search sheetmusicplus.com for Songs of Experience, Art song , Lieder, chansons, or works for solo voice
 * Search musicroom.com for Songs of Experience, vocal/choral music

CDs:

 * Search amazon.com for Songs of Experience, art song, Lieder, or chansons
 * Search amazon.ca for Songs of Experience, art song, Lieder, or chansons

Books:

 * The Art of the Song Recital [amazon.com]
 * The Book of Lieder: The Original Texts of Over 1000 Songs [amazon.com]
 * Search amazon.com for art song, Lieder, or chansons
 * Search amazon.ca for art song, lieder, or chansons