Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal

"Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal" is a poem written by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. It was first published in 1847, in The Princess: A Medley.

The poem has been set to music several times, including settings by Benjamin Britten,^[1] Roger Quilter,^[2] Ned Rorem,^[3][4] and Mychael Danna.^[5]

It appeared as a song in the 2004 film Vanity Fair (based on Thackeray's novel from 1848), sung by the character Becky Sharp.

Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal

Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white;

Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk;

Nor winks the gold fin in the porphyry font:

The firefly wakens: waken thou with me.

Now droops the milkwhite peacock like a ghost,

And like a ghost she glimmers on to me.

Now lies the Earth all Danaë to the stars,

And all thy heart lies open unto me.

Now slides the silent meteor on, and leaves

A shining furrow, as thy thoughts in me.

Now folds the lily all her sweetness up,

And slips into the bosom of the lake:

So fold thyself, my dearest, thou, and slip

Into my bosom and be lost in me.

References

1. ^ BRITTEN: Sinfonietta / Serenade / Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal / Nocturne. BIS-CD-540.
2. ^ Roger Quilter 1877 - 1953.
3. ^ Susan Graham - Songs of Ned Rorem. Erato 80222.
4. ^ Prince Consort: Ned Rorem – On an echoing road. Linn Records CKD 342.
5. ^ James Southall: Vanity Fair: Danna out-Doyles Doyle in impressive period score.