Mastery

"Mastery" is the second 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

Mastery
by Sara Teasdale

I would not have a god come in
To shield me suddenly from sin,
And set my house of life to rights;
Nor angels with bright burning wings
Ordering my earthly thoughts and things;
Rather my own frail guttering lights
Wind blown and nearly beaten out;
Rather the terror of the nights
And long, sick groping after doubt;
Rather be lost than let my soul
Slip vaguely from my own control —
Of my own spirit let me be
In sole though feeble mastery.

Sheet Music

John Duke Song Collections

Composer(s): John Duke

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