I would in that sweet bosom be 
  (O sweet it is and fair it is!) 
Where no rude wind might visit me. 
  Because of sad austerities 
I would in that sweet bosom be. 

I would be ever in that heart 
  (O soft I knock and soft entreat her!) 
Where only peace might be my part. 
  Austerities were all the sweeter 
So I were ever in that heart.

About the headline (FAQ)

Note: first published as "A wish" in Speaker (October 1904)

Text Authorship:

• by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), appears in Chamber Music, no. 6, first published 1907 [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 David Arditti (b. 1964), "I would in that sweet bosom be", op. 20 no. 5 (1998) [ tenor and string quartet ], from Chamber Music, no. 5 [sung text checked 1 time]
• by William A. Billingsley (b. 1922), "I would in that sweet bosom be" [ tenor and piano ], from James Joyce Songs [sung text not yet checked]
• by Laurence Clarke , "I would in that sweet bosom be" [ soprano and piano ], from "Chamber Music": Five Poems by James Joyce [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ross Lee Finney (1906 - 1997), "I would in that sweet bosom be ", 1952, published 1985, first performed 1975 [ voice and piano ], from Chamber Music, no. 6, Henmar Press [sung text not yet checked]
• by Ben Moore (b. 1960), "I would in that sweet bosom be" [ medium-high voice and piano ], from 14 Songs, no. 8, G. Schirmer [sung text not yet checked]
• by Nick Peros (b. 1963), "I would in that sweet bosom be" [sung text checked 1 time]
• by Rick Sowash (b. 1950), "I would in that sweet bosom be", 1998 [ mezzo-soprano, viola, clarinet, flute, and piano ], from Along the River, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 67