Sabbath Morning at Sea
Encyclopedia
"Sabbath Morning at Sea" is a poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
set to music by Sir Edward Elgar
as the third song in his song-cycle Sea Pictures
. It was first published by Browning in 1839.
The ship went on with solemn face;
To meet the darkness on the deep,
The solemn ship went onward.
I bowed down weary in the place;
For parting tears and present sleep
Had weighed mine eyelids downward.
The new sight, the new wondrous sight!
The waters around me, turbulent,
The skies, impassive o'er me,
Calm in a moonless, sunless light,
As glorified by even the intent
Of holding the day glory!
Love me, sweet friends, this Sabbath day.
The sea sings round me while ye roll
Afar the hymn, unaltered,
And kneel, where once I knelt to pray,
And bless me deeper in your soul
Because your voice has faltered.
And though this sabbath comes to me
Without the stolèd minister,
And chanting congregation,
God's Spirit shall give comfort. He
Who brooded soft on waters drear,
Creator on creation.
He shall assist me to look higher,
He shall assist me to look higher,
Where keep the saints, with harp and song,
An endless endless sabbath morning,
An endless sabbath morning,
And, on that sea commixed with fire,
And that sea commixed with fire,
Oft drop their eyelids raised too long
To the full Godhead's burning.
The full Godhead's burning.
. At "And on that sea commixed with fire" the opening bars of the song cycle are quoted.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband, Robert Browning, shortly after her death.-Early life:Members...
set to music by Sir Edward Elgar
Edward Elgar
Sir Edward William Elgar, 1st Baronet OM, GCVO was an English composer, many of whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos...
as the third song in his song-cycle Sea Pictures
Sea Pictures
Sea Pictures, Op. 37 is a song cycle by Sir Edward Elgar consisting of five songs written by various poets. It was set for contralto and orchestra, though a distinct version for piano was often performed by Elgar...
. It was first published by Browning in 1839.
Lyrics
[Italicised text denotes line repeated in the song but not in the original poem. Square brackets denote words omitted from the song.]The ship went on with solemn face;
To meet the darkness on the deep,
The solemn ship went onward.
I bowed down weary in the place;
For parting tears and present sleep
Had weighed mine eyelids downward.
The new sight, the new wondrous sight!
The waters around me, turbulent,
The skies, impassive o'er me,
Calm in a moonless, sunless light,
As glorified by even the intent
Of holding the day glory!
Love me, sweet friends, this Sabbath day.
The sea sings round me while ye roll
Afar the hymn, unaltered,
And kneel, where once I knelt to pray,
And bless me deeper in your soul
Because your voice has faltered.
And though this sabbath comes to me
Without the stolèd minister,
And chanting congregation,
God's Spirit shall give comfort. He
Who brooded soft on waters drear,
Creator on creation.
He shall assist me to look higher,
He shall assist me to look higher,
Where keep the saints, with harp and song,
An endless endless sabbath morning,
An endless sabbath morning,
And, on that sea commixed with fire,
And that sea commixed with fire,
Oft drop their eyelids raised too long
To the full Godhead's burning.
The full Godhead's burning.
Elgar's setting
The opening reintroduces the oceanic theme from Sea Slumber SongSea Slumber Song
"Sea Slumber Song" is a poem by the Hon. Roden Noel set to music by Sir Edward Elgar as the first song in his song-cycle Sea Pictures.-Lyrics:The poem here is as sung in Sea Pictures....
. At "And on that sea commixed with fire" the opening bars of the song cycle are quoted.