by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889)
Cherries
Language: English
Verse-making was least of my virtues : I viewed with despair Wealth that never yet was but might be all that verse-making were If the life would but lengthen to wish, let the mind be laid bare. So I said "To do little is bad, to do nothing is worse" -- And made verse. Love-making, how simple a matter ! No depths to explore, No heights in a life to ascend ! No disheartening Before, No affrighting Hereafter, love now will be love evermore. So I felt " To keep silence were folly : " all language above, I made love.
Text Authorship:
- by Robert Browning (1812 - 1889), "Cherries", appears in Ferishtah's Fancies, no. 9, first published 1884 [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 Granville Ransome Bantock, Sir (1868 - 1946), "Cherries", 1903, published 1905 [tenor and orchestra], from Lyrics from "Ferishtah's Fancies", no. 9. [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-02-26
Line count: 8
Word count: 96