Epilogue (Browning, set by G. Bantock, J. Farmer) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Oh, Love no, Love ! All the noise below, Love, 
Groanings all and moanings none of Life I lose ! 
All of Life 's a cry just of weariness and woe, Love 
"Hear at least, thou happy one ! " How can I, Love, but choose ? 
Only, when I do hear, sudden circle round me
Much as when the moon's might frees a space from cloud. 
Iridescent splendors : gloom would else confound me 
Barriered off and banished far bright-edged the blackest shroud ! 
Thronging through the cloud-rift, whose are they, the faces 
Faint revealed yet sure divined, the famous ones of old ? 
"What" they smile "our names, our deeds so soon erases 
Time upon his tablet where Life's glory lies enrolled ? 
"Was it for mere fool's-play, make-believe and mumming, 
So we battled it like men, not boylike sulked or whined ? 
Each of us heard clang God's e Come ! ' and each was coming : 
Soldiers all, to forward-face, not sneaks to lag behind ! 
"How of the field's fortune ? That concerned our Leader! 
Led, we struck our stroke nor cared for doings left and right : 
Each as on his sole head, failer or succeeder, 
Lay the blame or lit the praise : no care for cowards: fight!" 
Then the cloud-rift broadens, spanning earth that's under, 
Wide our world displays its worth, man's strife and strife's success : 
All the good and beauty, wonder crowning wonder, 
Till my heart and soul applaud perfection, nothing less. 
Only, at heart's utmost joy and triumph, terror 
Sudden turns the blood to ice : a chill wind disencharms 
All the late enchantment ! What if all be error 
If the halo irised round my head were, Love, thine arms?

Authorship

Robert Browning (1812-1889)

Ferishtah's Fancies

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

Sir Granville Ransome Bantock (1868-1946)

Lyrics from "Ferishtah's Fancies"

John Farmer (1836-1901)

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

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