by John Keats (1795 - 1821)
Pensive they sit, and roll their languid...
Language: English
Pensive they sit, and roll their languid eyes, Nibble their toast, and cool their tea with sighs, Or else forget the purpose of the night, Forget their tea -- forget their appetite. See with cross'd arms they sit -- ah! happy crew, The fire is going out and no one rings For coals, and therefore no coals Betty brings. A fly is in the milk-pot -- must he die By a humane society? No, no; there Mr. Werter takes his spoon, Inserts it, dips the handle, and lo! soon The little straggler, sav'd from perils dark, Across the teaboard draws a long wet mark. Arise! take snuffers by the handle, There's a large cauliflower in each candle. A winding-sheet, ah me! I must away To No. 7, just beyond the circus gay. 'Alas, my friend! your coat sits very well; Where may your tailor live?' 'I may not tell. O pardon me -- I'm absent now and then. Where might my tailor live? I say again I cannot tell, let me no more be teaz'd -- He lives in Wapping, might live where he pleas'd.'
About the headline (FAQ)
First published in World, New York: June 1877Authorship:
- by John Keats (1795 - 1821), "A party of lovers" [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 Dominick Argento (1927 - 2019), "A party of lovers at tea", 1968, published 1969 [mixed chorus a cappella], from A Nation of Cowslips, no. 4, NY: Boosey & Hawkes [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-12-17
Line count: 23
Word count: 180