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Text
Who are these children?
English source:
William Soutar
With easy hands upon the rein,
And hounds at their horses’ feet,
The ladies and the gentlemen
Ride through the village street.
Brightness of blood upon the coats
And on the women’s lips:
Brightness of silver at the throats
And on the hunting whips.
Is there a dale more calm, more green
Under this morning hour;
A scene more alien than this scene
Within a world at war?
Who are these children gathered here
Out of the fire and smoke
That with remembering faces stare
Upon the foxing folk?
And hounds at their horses’ feet,
The ladies and the gentlemen
Ride through the village street.
Brightness of blood upon the coats
And on the women’s lips:
Brightness of silver at the throats
And on the hunting whips.
Is there a dale more calm, more green
Under this morning hour;
A scene more alien than this scene
Within a world at war?
Who are these children gathered here
Out of the fire and smoke
That with remembering faces stare
Upon the foxing folk?
Composer
Benjamin Britten
Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British classical music, with a range of works including opera, other vocal music,…
Poet
William Soutar
William Soutar was a Scottish poet from Perthshire.