Chapters 13
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1 01 - They Flee From Me 1:21
They flee from me, by Sir Thomas Wyatt. Read for LibriRocks.org, by Amr Ahmed. They flee from me, that sometime did me seek, with naked foot stalking within my chamber. Once have I seen them gentle, tame, and meek, that now are wild and do not once remember, that sometime they have put themselves in danger to take bread at my hand, and now they range busily seeking in continual change. Thank be fortune. It hath been otherwise, twenty times better. But once a special, in thin array, after a pleasant guise, when her loose gown did from her shoulders fall, and she me caught in her arms, long and small, and therewithal so sweetly did me kiss, and softly said, Dear heart, how like you this? It was no dream, for I lay broad awaking, but all is turned now, and through my gentleness.
Into a bitter fashion of forsaking, and I have leave to go of her goodness, and she also to use newfangleness. But since that I unkindly so am served, how like you this, what hath she now deserved?
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2 02 - Whoso List to Hunt, I know where is an Hind 1:01
Whoso lest a hunt, I know where is an hind, but as for me, alas, I may no more. The vain travail hath wearied me so sore. I am of them that farthest cometh behind. Yet may I by no means my wearied mind draw from the deer, but as she fleeth afore, fainting I follow. I leave off, therefore, Scythins in a net I seek to hold the wind. Who lists her hunt? I put him out of doubt. As well as I may spend this time in vain, Engraven with diamonds and letters plain, There is written, her fair neck round about, Noly me tanger, for Caesar's I am, And wild for to hold, though I seem tame.
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3 03 - The Heart And Service 1:16
The Heart and Service, to you preferred, with right good will full honestly, refuse it not since it is offered, but take it to you gently. And though it be a small present, yet good, consider graciously the thought, the mind, and the intent of him that loves you faithfully. It were a thing of small effect, to work my woe thus cruelly. For my good will to be abject, therefore accept it lovingly. Pain or travail, to run or ride, I undertake it pleasantly. Bid ye me go, and straight I glide, at your commandment humbly. Pain or pleasure, now may you plant, even which it please you steadfastly. Do which you list, I shall not want to be your servant secretly.
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4 04 - Farewell Love and All Thy Laws For Ever 1:02
Farewell, love, and all thy laws forever. By Sir Thomas Wyatt. Read for LibriVox.org by Amr Ahmed. Farewell, love, and all thy laws forever. Thy baited hooks shall tangle me no more. Senec and Plato call me from thy lore, To perfect wealth my wit for to endeavor. In blind error, when I did persevere, Thy sharp repulse, that pricketh ae so sore, Hath taught me to set in trifles no store. And scape forth, since liberty is lever. Therefore farewell. Go trouble younger hearts, and in me claim no more authority. With idle youth go use thy property, and thereon spend thy many brittle darts. For hitherto, though I have lost all my time, me lusteth no longer, rotten boughs to climb.
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5 05 - My Lute Awake 1:56
My Lute Awake, perform the last labor that thou and I shall waste, an end that I have now begun. For when this song is sung and passed, my lute be still, for I have done. As to be heard where ear is none, as lead to grave in marble stone, my song may pierce her heart as soon. Should we then sigh or sing or moan? No, no, my lute, for I have done. The rocks do not so cruelly repulse the waves continually, as she my suit in affection, so that I am past remedy, whereby my lute and I have done. Proud of the spoil that thou hast got, of simple hearts through love's shot, by whom unkind thou hast them won, think not he hath his bow forgot, although my lute and I have done. Vengeance shall fall on thy disdain.
That makest but game on earnest pain, Think not alone under the sun, Unquit to cause thy lover's plain, Although my lute and I have done. Perchance thee lie weathered and old, Though winter nights that are so cold, Flaining in vain unto the moon, Thy wishes then dare not be told. Care then who list, for I have done. And then may chance thee to repent, The time that thou hast lost and spent To cause thy lover's sigh and swoon, Then shalt thou know beauty but lent, And wish and want as I have done. Now cease, my lute, this is the last labor That thou and I shall waste, and ended is that we begun. Now is this song both sung and passed, My lute be still, for I have done.
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6 06 - The Long Love that in my Thought doth Harbour 1:05
The long love that in my thought doth harbor, and in mine heart doth keep his residence, into my face pretheseth with bold pretense, and there encampeth spreading his banner, she that me learneth to love and suffer, and will that my trust and lusts negligence. Be reigned by reason, shame, and reverence, with this hardiness taketh displeasure.
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7 07 - MAG 1:04
Mag by Carl Sandberg. Read for LibriVox.org by Amr Ahmed.
I wish the God I never saw you, Mag. I wish you never quit your job and came along with me. I wish we never bought a license and a white dress for you to get married in the day we ran off to a minister and told him we would love each other and take care of each other. Always and always, long as the sun and the rain lasts anywhere. Yes, I'm wishing now you lived somewhere away from here, and I was a bum on the bumpers, a thousand miles away, dead broke.
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8 08 - Dream Girl 1:05
Tender is dew, impetuous is rain. The tan of the sun will be on your skin. The purr of the breeze in your murmuring speech. You will pose with a hillflower grace. You will come with your slim expressive arms, a poise of the head no sculptor has caught. And nuance is spoken with shoulder and neck, your face in a pass and repass of moods, as many as skies in delicate change of cloud and blue and flimmering sun. Yet, you may not come, oh girl of a dream. We may but pass as the world goes by and take from a look of eyes into eyes, a film of hope and a memory day.
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9 09 - To A Stranger 1:12
To a Stranger by Walt Whitman. Read for LibriVox.org by Amr Ahmed. Passing stranger, you do not know how longingly I look upon you. You must be he I was seeking, or she I was seeking. It comes to me as of a dream. I have somewhere surely lived a life of joy with you. All is recalled as we flip by each other, fluid, affectionate, chaste, matured. You grew up with me. Or a boy with me, or a girl with me. I ate with you, and slept with you. Your body has become not yours only, nor left my body mine only. You give me the pleasure of your eyes, face, flesh, as we pass. You take of my beard, breast, hands, and return. I am not to speak to you. I am to think of you when I sit alone, or wake at night alone.
I am to wait. I do not doubt I am to meet you again. I am to see to it that I do not lose you.
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10 10 - When I Heard At the Close of the Day 1:46
When I heard at the close of the day how my name had been received with plaudits in the capital, still it was not a happy night for me that followed. And else, when I caroused, or when my plans were accomplished, still I was not happy. But the day when I rose at dawn from the bed of perfect health, refreshed, singing, Inhaling the right breath of autumn. When I saw the full moon in the west grow pale, and disappear in the morning light. When I wandered alone over the beach, and undressing bathed, laughing with the cool waters, and Oh, then I was happy. Oh, then each breath tasted sweeter, and all that day my food nourished me more. And the beautiful day passed well, and the next came with equal joy, and with the next at evening came my friend.
And that night, while all was still, I heard the waters roll slowly, continually up the shores. I heard the hissing rustle of the liquid in the sands as directed to me, whispering to congratulate me, for the one I love most lay sleeping by me under the same cover in the cool night. In the stillness. In the autumn moonbeams, his face was inclined toward me, and his arm lay lightly around my breast, and that night I was happy.
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11 11 - Once I Pass’d Through A Populous City 0:58
Once I passed through a populous city, imprinting my brain for future use with its shows, architecture, customs, and traditions. Yet now of all that city, I remember only a woman I casually met there who detained me for love of me. Day by day and night by night, we were together. All else has long been forgotten by me. I remember, I say, only that woman who passionately clung to me. Again we wander, we love, we separate again. Again she holds me by the hand. I must not go. I see her close beside me, with silent lips sad and tremulous.
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12 12 - As If a Phantom Caress’d Me 0:41
As if a phantom caressed me, I thought I was not alone walking here by the shore. But the one I thought was with me, as now I walk by the shore, the one I love that caressed me, as I lean and look through the glimmering light, that one has utterly disappeared. And those appear that are hateful to me.
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13 13 - Fast Anchor’d, Eternal, O Love! 0:44
O wife More resistless than I can tell The thought of you Then separate As disembodied or another born Ethereal The last athletic reality My consolation I ascend I float in the regions of your love, O man, O share of my roving life.