"What Are the Wild Waves Saying" (1850)
Duett between
Paul & Florence
in
Domby and Son
Music by
Stephen Ralph Glover, 1812-1870
[Words by J. E. Carpenter]

Baltimore, MD: F. D. Benteen
New Orleans, LA: W. T. Mayo
Plate No. 1637
Engraver: Webb.
[Source: 064/112@Levy]

1. 
[PAUL]
What are the wild waves saying, 
Sister, the whole day long; 
That ever amid our playing, 
I hear but their low, lone song! 
Not by the seaside only. 
There it sounds wild and free; 
But at night when ’tis dark and lonely, 
In dreams it is still with me. 
But at night when ’tis dark and lonely, 
In dreams it is still with me. 
[FLORENCE]
Brother! I hear no singing! 
’Tis but the rolling wave. 
Ever its lone course winging 
Over some ocean cave! 
’Tis but the noise of water 
Dashing against the shore;  
And the wind from some bleaker quarter 
Mingling with its roar, 
And the wind  from some bleaker quarter 
Mingling, mingling with its roar. 
[DUET]
No! no, no, no! 
No, no, no, it is something greater 
That speaks to the heart alone. 
The voice of the great Creator 
Dwells in that mighty tone! 
The voice of the great Creator 
Dwells in that mighty tone!

2. 
[PAUL]
Yes! but the waves seem ever 
Singing the same sad thing, 
And vain in my weak endeavour, 
To guess what the surges sing, 
What is that voice repeating. 
Ever by night and day, 
Is it a friendly greeting, 
Or a warning that calls away! 
It is a friendly greeting, 
Or a warning that calls away! 
[FLORENCE]
Brother! the island mountain 
Hath it not voice and sound? 
Speaks not the driping fountain 
As it bedews the ground! 
E’en by the household in gle 
Curtain’d and closed and warm, 
Do not our voices mingle 
With those ot the distant storm? 
Do not our voices mingle 
With those of the distant storm? 
[DUET]
Yes! yes, yes! 
Yes! yes, but there’s something greater 
That speaks to the heart alone. 
The voice of the great Creator 
Dwells in that mighty tone! 
The voice of the great Creator 
Dwells in that mighty tone!