AG: Let’s see what else there is? The really great one for that I always thought was.. on (page) two-two-seven..Rose-cheek’d Laura – two-two-seven
Student; All the other books spell Laura with a “w” and not a “u”
AG: L-A-W-R-A? – Yeah, “Lawra” ..because that makes the vowel longer – “Lawra” – What I… [to Student] Do you know the music to that one?
Student: It’s not in there.
AG: It’s not in there. But, anyway.. Dig the way it goes . “Rose-cheek’d Laura, come”. It’s not “Rose-cheek’d Laura come” – “Rose-cheek’d Laura, come” – Rose-cheek’d – breath – Laura, come. For singing. So “Rose-cheek’d Laura. cuh-uh-uh-uh-um.. or something,
Student: Yeah
AG: I mean it’s meant for singing. In just that one word within one breath “Rose-cheek’d Laura, come”. Then the next stanza – “Lovely forms do flow” – The next stanza – “These dull notes we sing.” The last – “But still moves delight” – It’s like really even, an even measure of vowels, or rather, an even measure of syllables rather than an even measure of accents. But the rhythm in this is so subtle and sweet. I’ll read that one aloud . Does anybody know this one – “Rose-cheek’d Laura, come..”?
[no response]
Yeah, well, that’s the reason for this class, because this is maybe the most.. third or fourth most, famous lyric poem in the English language! And that so few people here know it, except the people who somehow got.. like me and Pat [sic], or something – old.. old scholarly fools. So…
[Beginning at approximately thirty-five-and-three-quarter minutes in (and concluding at approximately forty-and-a-half minutes in) , Allen recites, in its entirety, Campion’s “Rose-cheek’d Laura]
Rose-cheek’d Laura, come
Sing thou smoothly with thy beauty’s
Silent music, either other
Sweetly gracing
Lovely forms do flow
From concent divinely framed;
Heav’n is music and thy beauty’s
Birth is heavenly.
These dull notes we sing
Discords need for helps to grace them;
Only beauty purely loving
Knows no discord,
But still moves delight
Like clear springs renew’d by flowing,
Ever perfect, ever in them-
Selves eternal.
[Audio for the above can be heard here, beginning at approximately thirty-eight minutes in, and concluding at approximately forty-and-a-half minutes in]