The watcher (Stephens, set by C. Forsyth, B. Treharne) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


A rose for a young head, 
A ring for a bride, 
Joy for the homestead 
Clean and wide 
Who's that waiting 
In the rain outside?

A heart for an old friend, 
A hand for the new: 
Love can to earth lend 
Heaven's hue 
Who's that standing 
In the silver dew? 

A smile for the parting, 
A tear as they go, 
God's sweethearting 
Ends just so 
Who's that watching 
Where the black winds blow ? 

He who is waiting 
In the rain outside, 
He who is standing 
Where the dew drops wide, 
He who is watching 
In the wind must ride 
(Tho' the pale hands cling) 

With the rose 
And the ring 
And the bride, 
Must ride 
With the red of the rose, 
And the gold cf the ring, 
And the lips and the hair of the bride.

Authorship

James Stephens (1882-1950)

Insurrections

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

Cecil Forsyth (1870-1941)

Bryceson Treharne (1879-1948)

Date added to the website: 2009-01-26.

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