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Philomel Lyrics by Milton Babbitt

Philomel

1964

[PHILOMEL]
Living, growing, changing, being in the hum always
Of pain! The pain of slow change blows in our faces
Like unfelt winds that the spinning world makes in its turning:
Life and feeling whirl on, below the threshold of burning
I burn in change
Far, far I flew
To this wailing place
And now I range
[PHILOMEL AND TAPE]
Thrashing, through
The woods of Thrace
[PHILOMEL]
If pain brush against the rushing wings of frightened change
Then feeling distills to a burning drop, and transformation
Becomes intolerable. I have been raped and had my tongue
Torn out: but more pain reigns in these woods I range among
I ache in change
Though once I grew
At a slower pace
And now I range
[PHILOMEL AND TAPE]
Thrashing, through
The woods of Thrace
[PHILOMEL]
Crammed into one fell moment, my ghastly transformation
Died like a fading scream: the ravisher and the chased
Turned into one at last: the voice Tereus shattered
Becomes the tiny voices of night that the God has scattered
I die in change
Pain tore in two
Love's secret face
And now I range
[PHILOMEL AND TAPE]
Thrashing, through
The woods of Thrace
[PHILOMEL]
Love's most hidden tongue throbbed in the barbarous daylight;
Then all became pain in one great scream of silence, fading
Finally, as all the voices of feeling died in the west
And pain alone remained with remembering in my breast
I screamed in change
Now all I can do
Is bewail that chase
For now I range
[PHILOMEL AND TAPE]
Thrashing, through
The woods of Thrace
[PHILOMEL]
Pain in the breast and the mind, fused into music! Change
Bruising hurt silence even further! Now, in this glade
Suffering is redeemed in song. Feeling takes wing:
High, high above, beyond the forests of horror I sing!
I sing in change
And am changed anew!
(0 strange, slow race
That I ran with grace!)
I sing in change
Now my song will range
Till the morning dew
Dampens its face;
Now my song will range
As once it flew
Thrashing, through
The woods of Thrace
Credits
Milton Babbitt

Milton Babbitt

About “Philomel” by Milton Babbitt

Read the complete lyrics to "Philomel" by Milton Babbitt from the album "Philomel" in 1964. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Pop.

"Philomel" is performed by Milton Babbitt. from the album "Philomel" in 1964 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Philomel", explore more songs by Milton Babbitt using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Philomel" is credited to Milton Babbitt. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"Philomel" appears on "Philomel" in 1964.

Visit the Milton Babbitt artist page at /artist/milton-babbitt for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.