Benjamin Britten — O beauty O handsomeness goodness

O beauty, o handsomeness, goodness Would that I never encountered you! Would that I lived in my own world always In that depravity to which I was born There, I found peace of a sort There, I established an order such as reigns in hell But alas, alas! The light shines in the darkness And the darkness comprehends it and suffers O beauty, o handsomeness, goodness Would that I'd never seen you! Would that I'd never seen you! Having seen you, what choice remains to me? None! None! I am doomed to annihilate you I am vowed to your destruction I will wipe you off the face of the earth! Off this tiny floating fragment of earth Off this ship where fortune has led you First, I will trouble your happiness I will mutilate and silence the body where you dwell It shall hang from the yardarm It shall fall into the depths of the sea And all shall be as if nothing had been! No, you cannot escape With hate and envy, I am stronger than love So may it be! So may it be! O beauty, o handsomeness, goodness You are surely in my power tonight Nothing can defend you! Nothing can defend you! Nothing! Nothing! Nothing! So may it be! So may it be! For what hope remains if love can escape? If love still lives and grows strong Where I cannot enter What hope is there in my own dark world for me? No! I cannot believe it! No! That were torment too keen! I, John Claggart, master-at-arms upon the Indomitable, have you in my power And I will destroy you I will destroy you