THE LOVE SERENADE OF J. ALFRED PRUFROCK, music by Franz Schubert, words by T.S. Eliot, adapted by Joel Sattler

"Ständchen" [Serenade], D. 957 no. 4 (1828), from “Schwanengesang” no. 4 by Franz Schubert

Let us go then you and I when 

Evening is spread gainst the sky

Just like a patient upon a table

Cold and etherized

Let us go through wet and certain

Half-deserted streets

The muttering retreats

Restless in one night cheap hotels

And sawdust restaurants

With floors of oyster shells

Streets that follow like tedious argu-

ment of insidious intent

To lead you to overwhelming question

Oh do not ask what is it

Let us go and make our visit

Indeed there will be time

For you and me a time

Time for a hundred indecisions

Visions and revisions

before we take toast and tea 

Come and go the women talk of  

Michaelangelo 

Meas’ring my life out in spoons of coffee

Wondering do I dare

Disturb the universe

Time will reverse

[start over]

I should have been just two ragged claws

Scuttling cross floors of the sea

And then in the afternoon and the evening

Sleeping so peacefully

No I’m not the Prince of Hamlet

Nor was I meant to be

Fool I was meant to be 

I have heard the mermaids singing

Don’t think they sing for me

They do not sing for me

Yes I shall wear my trouser cuffs rolled and

I grow old I grow old

Lazarus said I come from the dead that’s

Not what I meant at all 

Do I dare to eat a peach and

And walk upon the beach

Mermaids sing each to each

I have seen them riding seaward

White hair of waves blown back

Water blown white and black

We have lingered in the chambers

chambers of the sea

By the sea-girls all wreathed in seaweed

Wreathing in red and brown

Till voices wake us down 

And then we drown

_________________________   

Original lyrics in German by Ludwig Rellstab

Leise flehen meine Lieder

Durch die Nacht zu dir

In dem stillen Hain hernieder

Liebster komm zu mir

Flüsternd schlanke Wipfel rauschen

In des Mondes Licht

In des Mondes Licht

Willst mein liebend Herz du lauschen

Warte Liebster nicht

Warte Liebster nicht

Hörst die Nachtigallen schlagen

Ach sie flehen dich

Mit der Töne süßen Klagen

Flehen sie für mich

Sie verstehn des Busens Sehnen

Kennen Liebesschmerz

Kennen Liebesschmerz

Rühren mit den Silbertönen

Jedes weiche Herz

Jedes weiche Herz

Lass auch dir das Herz bewegen

Liebster höre mich

Bebend harr ich dir entgegen

Komm beglücke mich

Komm beglücke mich

Beglücke mich

Nana Mouskouri:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-eFA_dBczY

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