I think of thee! ‑‑ my thoughts do twine...

I think of thee! -- my thoughts do twine and bud
About thee, as wild vines, about a tree,
Put out broad leaves, and soon there's nought to see
Except the straggling green which hides the wood.
Yet, O my palm-tree, be it understood
I will not have my thoughts instead of thee
Who art dearer, better! Rather, instantly
Renew thy presence; as a strong tree should,
Rustle thy boughs and set thy trunk all bare,
And let these bands of greenery which insphere thee
Drop heavily down, -- burst, shattered, everywhere!
Because, in this deep joy to see and hear thee
And breathe within thy shadow a new air,
I do not think of thee -- I am too near thee.

by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) , from Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 29, published 1850

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

by Eleanor Everest Freer (1864-1942) , "I think of thee! -- my thoughts do twine and bud", published 1910 [medium voice and piano], from Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 29.

by Egon Joseph Wellesz (1885-1974) , "Ich denk an dich. Wie wilder Wein den Baum spriessend umringt", published 1935 [soprano and string quartet], from Sonette der Elisabeth Barret-Browning [sic], no. ?

Date added to the website: 2007-12-16.

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Ich denk an dich. Wie wilder Wein den Baum spriessend umringt

Ich denk an dich. Wie wilder Wein den Baum
sprießend umringt, mit breiten Blättern hängen
um dich meine Gedanken, daß man kaum
den Stamm noch sieht unter dem grünen Drängen.
Und doch, mein Palmenbaum, will ich nicht sie,
diese Gedanken, sondern dich, der teurer
und besser ist. Du solltest ungeheurer
dich wieder zeigen, weithin rauschend wie
es starke Bäume tun. Und dann laß da
das Grüne dieser kreisenden Lianen
abfallen, wo es schon zerrissen ist,
weil meine Freude im Dich-Sehn und -Ahnen,
in deinem Schatten atmend, ganz vergißt
an dich zu denken - ich bin dir zu nah.

by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) , no title, from Sonette aus dem Portugiesischen, no. 29, published 1908

a text in English by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) , from Poems, in Sonnets from the Portuguese, no. 29, published 1850

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

by Egon Joseph Wellesz (1885-1974) , "Ich denk an dich. Wie wilder Wein den Baum spriessend umringt", published 1935 [soprano and string quartet], from Sonette der Elisabeth Barret-Browning [sic], no. ?

Date added to the website: 2007-12-16.