Why canst thou not?

Why canst thou not, as others do,
Look on me with unwounding eyes?
And yet look sweet, but yet not so,
Smile, but not in killing wise.
Arm not thy graces to confound:
Only look, but do not wound.

Why should mine eyes see more in you
Than they can see in all the rest?
For I can others' beauties view
And not find my heart oppressed.
Oh, be as others are to me,
Or let me be more to thee.

by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist

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

by John Danyel (1564-1626) , "Why canst thou not?"

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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Sheet music:

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Classical Vocal Repertoire