by Robert Graves (1895 - 1985)
The Cupboard
Language: English
Mother: What's in that cupboard, Mary? Mary: Which cupboard, mother dear? Mother: The cupboard of red mahogony With handles shining clear. Mary: That cupboard, dearest mother, With shining crystal handles? There's nought inside but rags and jags And yellow tallow candles. Mother: What's in that cupboard, Mary? Mary: Which cupboard, mother mine? Mother: That cupboard stands in your sunny chamber, The silver corners shine. Mary: There's nothing there inside, mother, But wool and thread and flax, And bits of faded silk and velvet And candles of white wax. Mother: What's in that cupboard, Mary? And this time tell me true. Mary: White clothes for an unborn baby, mother . . . But what's the truth to you?
First published in Poetry, August 1919
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Authorship:
- by Robert Graves (1895 - 1985), "The cupboard" [author's text checked 1 time 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 Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956), "The Cupboard", 1922, published 1923 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-12-11
Line count: 20
Word count: 117