Songs

The Children

by James MacMillan From Three Scottish Songs

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Text

The Children
English source: William Soutar

Upon the street they lie
Beside the broken stone:
The blood of children stares from the broken stone.

Death came out of the sky
In the bright afternoon:
Darkness slanted over the bright afternoon.

Again the sky is clear
But upon earth a stain:
The earth is darkened with a darkening stain:

A wound which everywhere
Corrupts the hearts of men:
The blood of children corrupts the hearts of men.

Silence is in the air:
The stars move to their places:
Silent and serene the stars move to their places.

Composer

James MacMillan

Sir James Loy MacMillan, CBE (b. 1959) is a Scottish classical composer and conductor.

Poet

William Soutar

William Soutar was a Scottish poet from Perthshire.

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