Songs of a SavoyardGilbert, W. S. (William Schwenck)
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Songs of a Savoyard
Gilbert, W. S. (William Schwenck)
English wit and humor; Humorous poetry, English; Songs, English -- Texts
While the pastry-cook plant cherry-brandy will grant—apple puffs, and
three-corners, and banberries—
The shares are a penny, and ever so many are taken by ROTHSCHILD and
BARING,
And just as a few are allotted to you, you awake with a shudder
despairing—
You’re a regular wreck, with a crick in your neck, and no wonder you
snore, for your head’s on the floor, and you’ve needles and pins from
your soles to your shins, and your flesh is a-creep, for your left
leg’s asleep, and you’ve cramp in your toes, and a fly on your nose,
and some fluff in your lung, and a feverish tongue, and a thirst
that’s intense, and a general sense that you haven’t been sleeping in
clover;
But the darkness has passed, and it’s daylight at last, and the night
has been long—ditto, ditto my song—and thank goodness they’re both of
them over!
DON’T FORGET!
NOW, Marco, dear,
My wishes hear:
While you’re away
It’s understood
You will be good,
And not too gay.
To every trace
Of maiden grace
You will be blind,
And will not glance
By any chance
On womankind!
If you are wise,
You’ll shut your eyes
Till we arrive,
And not address
A lady less
Than forty-five;
You’ll please to frown
On every gown
That you may see;
And O, my pet,
You won’t forget
You’ve married me!
O, my darling, O, my pet,
Whatever else you may forget,
In yonder isle beyond the sea,
O, don’t forget you’ve married me!
You’ll lay your head
Upon your bed
At set of sun.
You will not sing
Of anything
To any one:
You’ll sit and mope
All day, I hope,
And shed a tear
Upon the life
Your little wife
Is passing here!
And if so be
You think of me,
Please tell the moon;
I’ll read it all
In rays that fall
On the lagoon:
You’ll be so kind
As tell the wind
How you may be,
And send me words
By little birds
To comfort me!
And O, my darling, O, my pet,
Whatever else you may forget,
In yonder isle beyond the sea,
O, don’t forget you’ve married me!
THE SUICIDE’S GRAVE
ON a tree by a river a little tomtit
Sang “Willow, titwillow, titwillow!”
And I said to him, “Dicky-bird, why do you sit
Singing ‘Willow, titwillow, titwillow’?
Is it weakness of intellect, birdie?” I cried,
“Or a rather tough worm in your little inside?”
With a shake of his poor little head he replied,
“Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!”
He slapped at his chest, as he sat on that bough,
Singing “Willow, titwillow, titwillow!”
And a cold perspiration bespangled his brow,
Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!
He sobbed and he sighed, and a gurgle he gave,
Then he threw himself into the billowy wave,
And an echo arose from the suicide’s grave—
“Oh, willow, titwillow, titwillow!”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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