These are sections 3-30 of James Joyce’s long poem, Chamber Music, which comprised his first book. Published in 1907, Joyce of course became famous for his novels and short stories and his poetry has unfortunately been largely forgotten.
The Poetry Foundation has written that Chamber Music was noticed by Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot, “and included in Pound’s influential Imagist Anthology of 1914. Pound wrote of Chamber Music: “the quality and distinction of the poems in the first half…is due in part to their author’s strict musical training…the wording is Elizabethan, the metres at times suggesting Herrick.’ Known as a lyric poet, Joyce based some of his poems on songs. His poems have been set to music by composers including Geoffrey Moyneux Palmer, Ross Lee Finney, Samuel Barber, and Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd, as well as the group Sonic Youth.”
Chamber Music
Sections 3-30 of 36 total
III
At that hour when all things have repose,
O lonely watcher of the skies,
IV
When the shy star goes forth in heaven
All maidenly, disconsolate,
V
Lean out of the window,
Goldenhair,
VI
I would in that sweet bosom be
(O sweet it is and fair it is!)
VII
My love is in a light attire
Among the apple-trees,
VIII
Who goes amid the green wood
With springtide all adorning her?
IX
Winds of May, that dance on the sea,
Dancing a ring-around in glee
X
Bright cap and streamers,
He sings in the hollow:
XI
Bid adieu, adieu, adieu,
Bid adieu to girlish days,
XII
What counsel has the hooded moon
Put in thy heart, my shyly sweet,
XIII
Go seek her out all courteously,
And say I come,
XIV
My dove, my beautiful one,
Arise, arise!
XV
From dewy dreams, my soul, arise,
From love’s deep slumber and from death,
XVI
O cool is the valley now
And there, love, will we go
XVII
Because your voice was at my side
I gave him pain,
XVIII
O Sweetheart, hear you
Your lover’s tale;
XIX
Be not sad because all men
Prefer a lying clamour before you:
XX
In the dark pine-wood
I would we lay,
XXI
He who hath glory lost, nor hath
Found any soul to fellow his,
XXII
Of that so sweet imprisonment
My soul, dearest, is fain–
XXIII
This heart that flutters near my heart
My hope and all my riches is,
XXIV
Silently she’s combing,
Combing her long hair
XXV
Lightly come or lightly go:
Though thy heart presage thee woe,
XXVI
Thou leanest to the shell of night,
Dear lady, a divining ear.
XXVII
Though I thy Mithridates were,
Framed to defy the poison-dart,
XXVIII
Gentle lady, do not sing
Sad songs about the end of love;
XXIX
Dear heart, why will you use me so?
Dear eyes that gently me upbraid,
XXX
Love came to us in time gone by
When one at twilight shyly played