Love and Death (Naidu, set by F. Jacobi) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


I dreamed my love had set thy spirit free, 
Enfranchised thee from Fate's overmastering power, 
And girt thy being with a scatheless dower 
Of rich and joyous immortality;
O Love, I dreamed my soul had ransomed thee, 
In thy lone, dread, incalculable hour 
From those pale hands at which all mortals cower, 
And conquered Death by Love, like Savitri. 
When I awoke, alas, my love was vain 
E'en to annul one throe of destined pain, 
Or by one heart-beat to prolong thy breath;
O Love, alas, that love could not assuage 
The burden of thy human heritage, 
Or save thee from the swift decrees of Death.

Authorship

Sarojini Naidu, née Chattopadhyaya (1879-1949)

The Bird of Time - Songs of Life, Death, and the Spring

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

Frederick Jacobi (1891-1952)

Three Songs to Poems by Sarojini Naidu

Date added to the website: 2008-09-01.

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