by Ernest Christopher Dowson (1867 - 1900)
Impenitentia ultima
Language: German (Deutsch)
Before my light goes out for ever, if God should give me a choice of graces, I would not reck of length of days, nor crave for things to be; But cry: "One day of the great lost days, one face of all the faces, Grant me to see and touch once more, and nothing more to see." For, Lord, I was free of all Thy flowers, but I chose the world's sad roses, And that is why [I must eat my bread in bitterness and sweat]1, But at Thy terrible Judgment Seat, when this my tired life closes, I am ready to reap whereof I sowed, and pay my righteous debt. But once before the sand is run and the silver thread is broken, Give me a grace and cast aside the veil of dolorous years; Grant me one hour of all mine hours, and let me see for a token Her pure and pitiful eyes shine out, and bathe her feet with tears. Her pitiful hands should calm, and her hair stream down and blind me, Out of the sight of night, and out of the reach of fear, And her eyes should be my light, while the sun went out behind me; And the viols in her voice be the last sound in mine ear. Before the ruining waters fall, and my life be carried under, And Thine anger cleave me through, as a child cuts down a flower, I will praise Thee, Lord! in Hell, while my limbs are racked asunder, For the last sad sight of her face and the little grace of an hour.
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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
Confirmed with The Savoy, issues 1-2, January 1896, London, Leonard Smithers, page 131.
1 another edition, Franckenstein: "my feet are torn and mine eyes are blind with sweat"Authorship:
- by Ernest Christopher Dowson (1867 - 1900), "Impenitentia ultima" [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 Clemens von Franckenstein (1875 - 1942), "Impenitentia ultima", op. 21 (1901) [ tenor and orchestra ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2022-08-04
Line count: 20
Word count: 270