1930

On the Beach at Fontana

Composed by Roger Sessions
Text by James Joyce
"On the Beach at Fontana" is a song of Roger Sessions that sets the text of James Joyce. "On the beach at Fontana" first appeared as a poem in Poetry Magazine in 1917.

Text

On the Beach at Fontana
by James Joyce

Wind whines and whines the shingle,
The crazy pierstakes groan;
A senile sea numbers each single
Slimesilvered stone.

From whining wind and colder
Grey sea I wrap him warm
And touch his trembling fineboned shoulder
And boyish arm.

Around us fear, descending
Darkness of fear above
And in my heart how deep unending
Ache of love!