Sir Granville Ransome Bantock: Dramatic Lyrics Set III (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Wanting is -- what?
Summer redundant,
Blueness abundant,
 -- Where is the blot?
Beamy the world, yet a blank all the same,
 -- Framework which waits for a picture to frame:
What of the leafage, what of the flower?
Roses embowering with nought they embower!
Come then, complete incompletion, O comer,
Pant through the blueness, perfect the summer!
Breathe but one breath
Rose-beauty above.
And all that was death
Grows life, grows love,
Grows love!

2. Never the time and the place

Language: English

Authorship

Robert Browning (1812-1889)

Jocoseria


Never the time and the place
  And the loved one all together!
This path -- how soft to pace!
  This May -- what magic weather!
Where is the loved one's face?
In a dream that loved one's face meets mine,
  But the house is narrow, the place is bleak
Where, outside, rain and wind combine
  With a furtive ear, if I strive to speak,
  With a hostile eye at my flushing cheek,
With a malice that marks each word, each sign!
O enemy sly and serpentine,
  Uncoil thee from the waking man!
    Do I hold the Past
    Thus firm and fast
  Yet doubt if the Future hold I can?
  This path so soft to pace shall lead
  Through the magic of May to herself indeed!
  Or narrow if needs the house must be,
  Outside are the storms and strangers: we -- 
  Oh, close, safe, warm, sleep I and she, I and she.