There lived a king in days departed
Many treasures rare he owned
But far beyond the best of these
He thought his beauteous Irmelin
Irmelin rose
Irmelin sun
Irmelin loveliest of all!
Every knightly helmet shining
Mirrored back her image bright
Every poet sang of passion
Breathed her name by day and night:
Irmelin rose
Irmelin sun
Irmelin loveliest of all!
Knights by hundreds, noble wooers
Thronged the ancient castle hall
Wooed the maid with fond devotion
Wooed with sweet and flowered word:
Irmelin rose
Irmelin sun
Irmelin loveliest of all!
But the princess would not listen
Cold her heart was, cold as steel
She lightly mocked their marks of anguish
And scorned their pangs of hopeless love
Irmelin rose
Irmelin sun
Irmelin loveliest of all!
Other Frederick Delius songs:
all Frederick Delius songs all songs from 1901