John Lodge Ellerton: A Set of Twelve Glees (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Bright be the place of thy soul!
  No lovelier spirit than thine
E'er burst from its mortal control,
  In the orbs of the blessed to shine.
On earth thou wert all but divine,
  As thy soul shall immortally be:
And our sorrow may cease to repine,
  When we know that thy God is with thee.
When we know that thy God is with thee.
  Bright be the place of thy soul,
  No lovelier spirit than thine
  E'er burst from its mortal control,
  In the orbs of the blessed to shine.

Light be the turf of thy tomb!
  May its verdure like emeralds be:
There should not be the shadow of gloom
  In aught that reminds us of thee.
Young flowers and an evergreen tree
  May spring from the spot of thy rest;
But not cypress nor yew let us see,
  For why should we mourn for the Blest?
For why should we mourn for the blest?
  Bright be the place of thy soul,
  No lovelier spirit than thine
  E'er burst from its mortal control,
  In the orbs of the blessed to shine.

First published in Examiner, June 1815, titled "Stanzas" and signed B---n; revised 1816.