Earth's answer

Earth rais'd up her head
From the darkness dread and drear.
Her light fled,
Stony dread!
And her locks cover'd with grey despair.

"Prison'd on wat'ry shore,
Starry Jealousy does keep my den:
Cold and hoar,
Weeping o'er,
I hear the Father of the Ancient Men.

"Selfish Father of Men!
Cruel, jealous, selfish Fear!
Can delight,
Chain'd in night,
The virgins of youth and morning bear?

"Does spring hide its joy
When buds and blossoms grow?
Does the sower
Sow by night,
Or the ploughman in darkness plough?

"Break this heavy chain
That does freeze my bones around.
Selfish! vain!
Eternal bane!
That free Love with bondage bound."

by William Blake (1757-1827) , "Earth's answer", from Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Experience, no. 2, published 1794

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

by William Bolcom (1938-) , "Earth's answer", 1956-81 [soloists, madrigal group, chorus, orchestra], from Songs of Experience, Volume One, no. 4.
by Hayg Boyadjian (1938-) , "Earth's answer", 1978 [soprano, flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, cello and bass], from Song Cycle on Poems of William Blake, no. 6.
by John H. Harbison (1938-) , "Earth's answer", 1971, published c1975, first performed 1973 [four soli, SATB chorus, string quartet, and percussion], from Five Songs of Experience, no. 2, New York, Associated Music Publishers
by Otto Luening (1900-1996) , "Earth's answer", 1928, published 1957 [bass-baritone and piano], from Songs of Experience, no. 2, New York, High Gate Press (Galaxy)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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