First time he kissed me, he but only...

First time he kissed me, he but only kissed
The fingers of this hand wherewith I write,
And ever since it grew more clean and white, --
Slow to world greetings, quick with its "Oh, list,"
When the angels speak.  A ring of amethyst
I could not wear here plainer to my sight
Than that first kiss.  The second passed in height
The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,
Half falling on the hair.  O beyond meed!
That was the chrism of love which love's own crown,
With sanctifying sweetness, did precede.
The third upon my lips was folded down
In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,
I have been proud and said:  "My Love, my own."

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) , no title, from Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 38, published 1847-50

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

by Frederic Balazs (1920-) , "First time he kissed me, he but only kissed", published 1960 [high voice and string quartet or chamber orchestra], from Sonnets after Elizabeth Barrett Browning, no. ?
by Florence Newell Barbour (1867-1946) , "Love's Ecstasy", published 1922 [voice, piano], from Songs
by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864-1942) , "First time he kissed me, he but only kissed", published 1910 [medium voice and piano], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 38.
by (Charles) Alfred de Kaiser (1872-1917) , "Three Kisses", published 1912 [soprano, piano], from Seven Sonnets from the Portuguese
by Lynn Steele (1951-) , "Sonnet XXXVIII" [soprano and flute], from Three Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 2.

by Viktor Ullmann (1898-1944) , "Sein erster Kuß berührte nur die Finger", op. 29 no. 3 (1940), from Drei Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen von Elizabeth Barett-Browning, übertragen von Rainer Maria Rilke, no. 3.

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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