"We Two in Arcadie"

We Two in Arcadie

We two have been to Arcadie― 

         But it was long ago; 

The wild syringa blossomed there, 

         Gold hearts set sweet in snow, 

And crimson salmon-berry bells― 

         Ah, me, so long ago! 

We two went into Arcadie 

         Without one backwards glance; 

Deep thro’ the brown breast of the earth 

         The sun had sent his lance, 

And every flower straightaway sprung 

         Up from her long, sweet trance. 

We two alone in Arcadie! 

         The road thro’ forests ran, 

A silver ribbon; and we heard 

         The mellow pipes o’ Pan, 

And followed as he fled thro’ lights 

         Of green and gold and tan. 

We two went on thro’ Arcadie 

         In joy too deep for words; 

The little clouds were tangled in 

         The trees like beaten curds. 

We heard the stammering speech of rills 

         And the passion-calls of birds. 

Ah, me, from pleasant Arcadie 

         We two came out―alas! 

No more to lie beneath the trees 

         In the pale-green velvet grass― 

To listen to the pipes o’ Pan 

         And hear his footsteps pass! 

Still, still, I know in Arcadie

         The blossoms fall like snow 

On happy lovers―as they fell

         On us so long ago! 

But, oh, my love, thro’ Arcadie

         No more shall we two go!

"We Two in Arcadie" as it appears in Ella Higginson's When the Birds Go North Again (1898).

"We Two in Arcadie" was set to music by film score composer and Nebraska University piano instructor Guy Bevier Williams (1873-1955).

Sheet music courtesy of Polley Music Library, Lincoln City Libraries (Lincoln, Nebraska). Viewing available here.