On another's sorrow

Can I see another's woe,
And not be in sorrow too?
Can I see another's grief,
And not seek for kind relief?

Can I see a falling tear,
And not feel my sorrow's share?
Can a father see his child
Weep, nor be with sorrow filled?

Can a mother sit and hear
An infant groan, an infant fear?
No, no!  never can it be!
Never, never can it be!

And can He who smiles on all
Hear the wren with sorrows small,
Hear the small bird's grief and care,
Hear the woes that infants bear --

And not sit beside the next,
Pouring pity in their breast,
And not sit the cradle near,
Weeping tear on infant's tear?

And not sit both night and day,
Wiping all our tears away?
Oh no! never can it be!
Never, never can it be!

He doth give his joy to all:
He becomes an infant small,
He becomes a man of woe,
He doth feel the sorrow too.

Think not thou canst sigh a sigh,
And thy Maker is not by:
Think not thou canst weep a tear,
And thy Maker is not year.

Oh He gives to us his joy,
That our grief He may destroy:
Till our grief is fled and gone
He doth sit by us and moan.

by William Blake (1757-1827) , "On another's sorrow", from Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 19, published 1789

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

by Doyne Courtenay Bell (1831-1888) , "On another's sorrow", published 1876.
by Harold Blumenfeld (1923-) , "Lamentation and moral", 1972-3 [double mixed chorus, with mezzo-soprano and tenor soli and orchestra], from Songs of Innocence, no. 3.
by Jacques (Jacob) Blumenthal (1829-1908) , "Compassion", published 1878 [four-part song for SATB a cappella], from Songs of Innocence, no. 3.
by William Bolcom (1938-) , "On another's sorrow", 1956-81 [soloists, madrigal group, chorus, orchestra], from Songs of Innocence, no. 19.
by (Henry) Elliot Button (1861-?) , "On another's sorrow", published 1892, from Songs of Innocence, no. 6.
by Bryony Jagger (1948-) , "On another's sorrow", 1977. [quintet of men's voices a cappella]
by David Evan Thomas (1958-) , "On another's sorrow", 2004. [medium voice and piano]

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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