I saw a peacock with a fiery tail

I saw a peacock with a fiery tail,
I saw a blazing comet drop down hail,
I saw a cloud with ivy curled around,
I saw a sturdy oak creep on the ground,
I saw a pismire swallow up a whale,
I saw a raging sea brim full of ale!
I saw a Venice glass sixteen foot deep,
I saw a well full of mens' tears that weep,
I saw their eyes all in a flame of fire,
I saw a [horse high]1 as the moon and higher,
I saw the [sun at twelve o'clock at]2 night,
I saw the man [who]3 saw this wondrous sight!

About the headline (FAQ)

Authorship

• from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , written c1665, published in Westminster-Drollery, Or a Choice Collection of the Newest Songs & Poems Both at Court & Theaters, first published 1671 [ author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

• by Gary Bachlund , "I saw a peacock", 2011. [high voice and piano] [
   text verified 1 time
  ]
• by Geoffrey Bush (1920 - 1998), "The wonder of wonders", from Songs of wonder, no. 3. [
   text verified 1 time
  ]

Text added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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