by Arlo Bates (1850 - 1918)
The Columbine
Language: English
Gay in her red gown, trim and fine, Dances the merry columbine. Never she thinks if her petals shall fall ; Cold rains beating she does not dread ; Sunshine is round her and spring birds call, Blue are the skies above her head. So in her red gown, trim and fine, Merrily dances the columbine. Blithe with her white throat, smooth and fine, Dances the careless columbine. If she coquets with the wandering bee, When he goes does she toss her head ; Heart-whole and frolicsome still is she, Lovers enough she finds instead. So with her white throat smooth and fine. Carelessly dances the columbine. Bright in her coronet, golden and fine, Dances the mocking columbine. Gay is she still, whatsoever befall, Loveless wanton, on pleasure bent ; Now is her moment, her day, her all ; Where will she be when it is spent? Then will be dust all her coronet fine ; Dust, only dust, mocking columbine.
Text Authorship:
- by Arlo Bates (1850 - 1918), "The Columbine", appears in The Poet and His Self, in A Flower Cycle, no. 5, first published 1892 [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 George Whitefield Chadwick (1854 - 1931), "The Columbine", 1892 [ voice and piano ], from A Flower Cycle, no. 6 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Arthur Foote (1853 - 1937), "The Columbine", op. 49 no. 5, published 1902 [ voice and piano ], from Flower Songs, no. 5, Boston: Arthur P. Schmidt [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-06-17
Line count: 24
Word count: 156