by Helen Hay Whitney (1876 - 1944)
Be still
Language: English
Be still, be still. Vex not the night with a sound The moon has laid her finger on the lake And the shadows of the wood profound There lies a peace we would profane to break. Upon the lonely avenue of trees As pearls upon an airy silverstring Are caught the threaded echoes of the breeze That sets the ruffled leaves amurmuring. Be still, dear heart, as tho' 'twere death to speak. Love waits you lily like, with leaves unfurled While on the breast of day night lays her cheek The silence speaks the secret of the world.
Authorship:
- by Helen Hay Whitney (1876 - 1944) [author's text not yet checked 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 Blair Fairchild (1877 - 1933), "Be still", op. 19 no. 2 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2023-02-03
Line count: 12
Word count: 98