Lessons

"Lessons" is the third song in John Duke's song cycle Songs Out of Sorrow: Six Songs for Mezzo-Soprano. The song cycle sets the poetry of Sara Teasdale.

Date: 1967Composer: John Woods DukeText: Sara TeasdaleSong Collection: Songs Out of Sorrow: Six Songs for Mezzo

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Text

Lessons
by Sara Teasdale

Unless I learn to ask no help
From any other soul but mine,
To seek no strength in waving reeds
Nor shade beneath a straggling pine;
Unless I learn to look at Grief
Unshrinking from her tear-blind eyes,
And take from Pleasure fearlessly
Whatever gifts will make me wise —
Unless I learn these things on earth,
Why was I ever given birth?

Sheet Music

John Duke Song Collections

Composer(s): John Duke

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