The Old Shepherd’s Carol

Description

The Old Shepherd’s Carol

SATB chorus, unaccompanied
3′ duration
1996
Text: William Blake, from Poetical Sketches, 1787. More about Blake at Artsy.net.
Premiere—1998, by Minneapolis Community and Technical College Choir, Elizabeth Pauly conductor, Mpls., MN.Published by Yelton Rhodes Music.

Text

When silver snow decks Sylvio’s clothes
And jewel hangs at shepherd’s nose,
We can abide life’s pelting storm
That makes our limbs quake,

Refrain:
If our hearts be warm,
If our hearts be warm,
We can abide life’s pelting storm,
If our hearts be warm.

Whilst Virtue is our walking staff
And Truth a lantern to our path,
We can abide life’s pelting storm
That makes our limbs quake,

Refrain

Blow, boist’rous wind, stern winter frown,
Innocence is a winter’s gown;
So clad we’ll abide life’s pelting storm
That makes our limbs quake,

Refrain

William Blake

For songs on texts by Blake, see Divine Images.