Lyrks
Lyrks
Lyrks
Cover Art

Amor Loci Lyrics by W. H. Auden

1965

I could draw its map by heart,
showing its contours,
strata and vegetation,
name every height,
small burn and lonely sheiling,
but nameless to me,
faceless as heather or grouse,
are those who live there,
its dead too vague for judgement,
tangible only
what they wrought, their giant works
of delve and drainage
in days preterite: long since
their hammering stopped
as the lodes all petered out
in the Jew Limestone.
Here and there a tough chimney
still towers over
dejected masonry, moss,
decomposed machines,
with no one about, no chance
of buttering bread,
a land postured in my time
for marginal farms.
Any musical future
is most unlikely.
Industry wants Cheap Power,
romantic muscle
a perilous wilderness,
Mr Pleasure pays
for surf-riding, claret, sex:
it offers them none.
To me, though, much: a vision,
not (as perhaps at
twelve I thought it) of Eden,
still less of a New
Jerusalem but, for one,
convinced he will die,
more comely, more credible
than either day-dream.
How but with some real focus
of desolation
could I, by analogy,
imagine a Love
that, however often smeared,
shrugged at, abandoned
by a frivolous worldling,
does not abandon?
Credits
W. H. Auden

W. H. Auden

About “Amor Loci” by W. H. Auden

Read the complete lyrics to "Amor Loci" by W. H. Auden in 1965. 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 Non-Music, Literature.

"Amor Loci" is performed by W. H. Auden. in 1965 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 "Amor Loci", explore more songs by W. H. Auden 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.

View all songs and biography for W. H. Auden · Trending lyrics · Billboard Hot 100

Frequently asked questions

"Amor Loci" is credited to W. H. Auden. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

Album information for "Amor Loci" is not available in our database yet. You can still read the full lyrics on this page.

Visit the W. H. Auden artist page at /artist/w-h-auden for biography, popular tracks, and links to more lyric pages.