The water lily (Bates, set by G. Chadwick) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Where the dark waters lave, 
Where the tall rushes wave, 
Safe from rude winds that rave, 
Floats the fair lily ; 
White as my sweetheart's breast, 
Pure as her dreamings blest, 
Lying in cradled rest, 
When night is stilly.
 
Oft wooing comes the bee 
On light wings eagerly, 
Leaving the pleasant lea 
Luscious with clover ; 
Then to her heart of gold, 
'Mid petals half unrolled, 
Fond doth the lily fold 
The amorous rover. 

Sweetheart, within thine arms 
Fold me with all thy charms, 
Safe from more rude alarms 
Than thy heart's beating. 
Let the sweet lily be 
Emblem for thee and me ; 
Be thou as kind as she 
In thy fond greeting !

Authorship

Arlo Bates (1850-1918)

A Flower Cycle

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

George Whitefield Chadwick (1854-1931)

A Flower Cycle

Date added to the website: 2009-06-17.

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