Light, my light, the world-filling light (Tagore, set by J. Carpenter) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Light, my light, 
the world-filling light,
the eye-kissing light, 
heart-sweetening light!
Ah, the light dances, my darling, at the centre of my life;
the light strikes, my darling, 
the chords of my love;
the sky opens, the wind runs wild, 
laughter passes over the earth.

The butterflies spread their sails 
on the sea of light.
Lilies and jasmines surge up 
on the crest of the waves of light.

The light is shattered into gold 
on every cloud, my darling,
and it scatters gems in profusion.

Mirth spreads from leaf to leaf, my darling,
and gladness without measure. 
The heaven's river has drowned its banks 
and the flood of joy is abroad.

Input by Geoffrey Wieting

Authorship

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

Gitanjali

Based on

text

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

John Alden Carpenter (1876-1951)

Gitanjali (Song Offerings)

Set in French, a translation of André Gide (1869-1951) ENG FRE

Gary Bachlund

Trois Chansons de Gidé

Jean Cras (1879-1932)

L'offrande lyrique

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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