Thou, whose exterior semblance doth...

Thou, whose exterior semblance doth belie 
   Thy Soul's immensity; 
Thou best Philosopher, who yet dost keep 
Thy heritage, thou Eye among the blind, 
That, deaf and silent, read'st the eternal deep, 
Haunted for ever by the eternal mind, _ 
   Mighty Prophet! Seer blest! 
   On whom those truths do rest, 
Which we are toiling all our lives to find, 
In darkness lost, the darkness of the grave; 
Thou, over whom thy Immortality 
Broods like the Day, a Master o'er a Slave, 
A Presence which is not to be put by; 
To whom the grave 
Is but a lonely bed without the sense or sight 
Of day or the warm light, 
A place of thought where we in waiting lie; 
Thou little Child, yet glorious in the might 
Of heaven_born freedom on thy being's height, 
Why with such earnest pains dost thou provoke 
The years to bring the inevitable yoke, 
Thus blindly with thy blessedness at strife? 
Full soon thy Soul shall have her earthly freight, 
And custom lie upon thee with a weight, 
Heavy as frost, and deep almost as life!

by William Wordsworth (1770-1850) , from Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood

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

by Gerald Finzi (1901-1956) , "Thou, whose exterior semblance doth belie", op. 29 no. 8 [tenor, chorus, and orchestra], from Intimations of Immortality, no. 8, note: this section is without music

Date added to the website: 2005-12-31.

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