1915

Your Lips are Wine

Passionale Song Collection

"Your Lips are Wine" is the second song of Henry Burleigh's song cycle Passionale, which sets the poetry of James Weldon Johnson.

Listen

“Your Lips are Wine” (from “Passionale”)

Tyrese Byrd, tenor; Sara Chiesa, piano2:56

H. T. Burleigh

Composer

James Weldon Johnson

Poet(s)/Writer(s)

2021

Date

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Location

This recording was made possible by a grant from the University of Michigan, as part of the "Black Composer Speaks" Project.

Text

Your Lips are Wine
by James Weldon Johnson

Your lips are wine, —
O Heart’s Desire,
Give me the flame
Of their passion-kindling fire;
The world melts away
In the glow of your kiss,
And leaves just you and me,
Alone in silent bliss.

Your lips again,
Give them to mine,
One more full draught
Of their nectar’d anodyne.
In the fold of your arms
Lull me softly, softly until
There comes the wondrous calm
Of love so deep and still.

Sheet Music