by Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837 - 1909)
In a garden
Language: English
Baby, see the flowers! -- Baby sees Fairer things than these, Fairer though they be than dreams of ours. Baby, hear the birds! -- Baby knows Better songs than those, Sweeter though they [sound]1 than sweetest words. Baby, see the moon! -- Baby's eyes Laugh to [watch]2 it rise, Answering light with love and night with noon. [Baby, hear the sea!]3 -- Baby's face Takes a graver grace, Touched with wonder what the sound may be. Baby, see the star! -- Baby's hand Opens, warm and bland, Calm in claim of all things fair that are. Baby, hear the bells! -- Baby's head Bows, as ripe for bed, Now the flowers curl round and close their cells. Baby, flower of light, Sleep, and see Brighter dreams than we, Till good day shall smile away good night.
M. Lang sets stanzas 1-4, 6-7
First published in English Illustrated Magazine, December 1886
1 Lang: "be"
2 Lang: "see"
3 omitted by Lang.
Text Authorship:
- by Algernon Charles Swinburne (1837 - 1909), "In a garden", appears in Poems and Ballads, Third Series, first published 1889 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Rutland Boughton (1878 - 1960), "In a garden", 1902 [ voice, orchestra, and piano ], from Three Baby Songs, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Margaret Ruthven Lang (1867 - 1972), "In a garden", first performed 1891, stanzas 1-4,6-7 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-01-27
Line count: 28
Word count: 130