Description

What The Bullet Sang is a brilliantly moving American Civil War poem by Bret Harte.  The poem is written as a love song from the Bullet to it’s victim. This is quite an unusual concept for a poem from this period of time.

Ivor Gurney

What The Bullet Sang is dedicated to my singing teacher, Mr James Ottaway.  The music is inspired by the baritone songs cycles of Ivor Gurney; pieces that quite quickly became favorourites as an aspiring singer.

Mr Hargreaves

I would like to thank my English teacher Mr Hargreaves for introducing me to this brilliant poem.  Whilst he also introduced me to detention on numerous occasions he illuminated the world of English Literature and War Poetry, and taught me my first Robert Graves.

What The Bullet Sang – by Bret Harte

O JOY of creation,
To be!
O rapture, to fly
And be free!
Be the battle lost or won,
Though its smoke shall hide the sun,
I shall find my love—the one
Born for me!

I shall know him where he stands
All alone,
With the power in his hands
Not o’erthrown;
I shall know him by his face,
By his godlike front and grace;
I shall hold him for a space
All my own!

It is he—O my love!
So bold!
It is I—all thy love
Foretold!
It is I—O love, what bliss!
Dost thou answer to my kiss?
O sweetheart! what is this
Lieth there so cold?