Two Songs

Song Cycle by John (Nicholson) Ireland (1879 - 1962)

1. My true love hath my heart  [sung text not yet checked]

Language: English 
My true Love hath my heart and I have his.
By just exchange, one [for]1 the other given:
I hold his dear, and mine he cannot miss;
There never was a [bargain better]2 driven[.]3
His heart in me keeps [me and him]4 in one;
My heart in him his thoughts and senses [guides]5:
He loves my heart, for once it was his own;
I cherish his because in me it bides[.]3
His heart his wound received from my sight;
My heart was wounded with his wounded heart;
For as from me on him his hurt did light,
So still methought in me his hurt did smart:
Both equal hurt, in this change sought our bliss:
My true Love hath my heart, and I have his.

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Confirmed with Love Songs of English Poets, 1500-1800, New York : D. Appleton and Company, 1892, in which it is titled "Sonnet to Stella", which is probably not the author's title.

Parodied in Archibald Stodart-Walker's My true friend hath my hat.

1 Foote: "to"
2 Adler, Carwithen, Foote, Gounod, Rutter, Wilkinson: "better bargain"
3 Adler, Carwithen, Foote: ":/ My true Love hath my heart and I have his." (first line is repeated)
4 Adler, Carwithen, Foote: "him and me"
5 Adler, Carwithen: "guide"

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Ted Perry

2. The trellis
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
Thick-flowered is the trellis
  That hides our joys
From prying eyes of malice
  And all annoys,
  And we lie rosily bowered.

Through the long afternoons
  And evenings endlessly
Drawn out, when summer swoons
  In perfume windlessly,
  Sounds our light laughter.

With whispered words between
  And silent kisses.
None but the flowers have seen
  Our white caresses -
  Flowers and the bright-eyed birds.

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Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
Total word count: 192