Full many a glorious morning have I seen
Flatter the mountain-tops with sovereign eye,
Kissing with golden face the meadows green,
Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy;
Anon permit the basest clouds to ride
With ugly rack on his celestial face
And from the forlorn world his visage hide,
Stealing unseen to west with this disgrace.
Even so my sun one early morn did shine
With all-triumphant splendour on my brow;
But out, alack! he was but one hour mine;
The region cloud hath mask'd him from me now.
Yet him for this my love no whit disdaineth;
Suns of the world may stain when heaven's sun staineth.
~~
I have heard it suggested that this Sonnet is in reference to his son's death. I don't know how unorthodox that idea is, or whether there is any independent scholarship backing it up. (As appealing as the interpretation is, I'm skeptical).
Golias,
The choir The Sixteen produced an album Into the Light, which has an arrangement by Bob Chilcott of the Pachelbel Canon, using the text of Wilde's Requiescat. It's lovely piece, the best rendition of the Canon I know.
Brian
|