An Irish airman foresees his death (Louis Hoofd)
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- Editor: Louis Hoofd (submitted 2019-02-11). Score information: A4, 6 pages, 597 kB Copyright: Public Domain
- Edition notes:
General Information
Title: An Irish airman foresees his death
Composer: Louis Hoofd
Lyricist: William Butler Yeats
Number of voices: 5vv Voicing: SSATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong
Language: English
Instruments: A cappella
First published: 1975
Description: #3 from Liederen van de Dood (Songs of Death)
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
I know that I shall meet my fate,
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.