Shah Abbas

You groped your way across my room i' the dear dark dead of night ; 
At each fresh step a stumble was : but, once your lamp alight, 
Easy and plain you walked again : so soon all wrong grew right! 
What lay on floor to trip your foot? Each object, late awry, 
Looked fitly placed, nor proved offence to footing free for why? 
The lamp showed all, discordant late, grown simple symmetry. 
Be love your light and trust your guide, with these explore my heart ! 
No obstacle to trip you then, strike hands and souls apart ! 
Since rooms and hearts are furnished so, light shows you, needs love start ?

by Robert Browning (1812-1889) , "Shah Abbas", from Ferishtah's Fancies, no. 3, published 1884

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

by Sir Granville Ransome Bantock (1868-1946) , "Shah Abbas", 1903, published 1905 [tenor and orchestra], from Lyrics from "Ferishtah's Fancies", no. 3.
by Alice Borton (fl. 1890) , "Be love your light", c1884. [voice and piano]

Date added to the website: 2009-02-26.

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