Summer's Armies (op. 105, no. 9)

"Summer's Armies" was originally part of Farwell's 12 Emily Dickinson Songs, Op. 105. The song is currently published in the first volume of Boosey & Hawkes' two-volume Thirty-Four Songs on Poems of Emily Dickinson by Arthur Farwell.

Date: 1941Composer: Arthur FarwellText: Emily DickinsonSong Collection: 12 Emily Dickinson Songs, Op. 105

Print vitals & song text

Text

The text of “Summer’s Armies” is the following poem:

Some Rainbow — coming from the Fair! (poem 64)
by Emily Dickinson

Some Rainbow — coming from the Fair!
Some Vision of the World Cashmere —
I confidently see!
Or else a Peacock’s purple Train
Feather by feather — on the plain
Fritters itself away!

The dreamy Butterflies bestir!
Lethargic pools resume the whir
Of last year’s sundered tune!
From some old Fortress on the sun
Baronial Bees — march — one by one —
In murmuring platoon!

The Robins stand as thick today
As flakes of snow stood yesterday —
On fence — and Roof — and Twig!
The Orchis binds her feather on
For her old lover – Don the Sun!
Revisiting the Bog!

Without Commander! Countless! Still!
The Regiments of Wood and Hill
In bright detachment stand!
Behold! Whose Multitudes are these?
The children of whose turbaned seas —
Or what Circassian Land?

Sheet Music

Thirty-Four Songs on Poems of Emily Dickinson, Vol. 1

Composer(s): Arthur Farwell

Buy via Boosey & Hawkes

Support us and help us grow

Dear friends, Thank you for helping us build a comprehensive online archive of American song. Your gift is greatly appreciated.