And this is certain; if so be You could just now my garden see, The aspic of my flowers so bright Would make you shudder with delight. And if you vos to see my rozziz As is a boon to all men's nozziz,-- You'd fall upon your back and scream-- "O Lawk! O criky! it's a dream!"
Five Poems of Edward Lear
Song Cycle by Ash Graham
1. And this is certain... [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888), no title, appears in The Complete Nonsense Book, first published 1912
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Confirmed with Edward Lear, The Complete Nonsense Book, edited by Lady Strachey, 1912, p.429
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
2. O dear! how disgusting is life! [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
O dear! how disgusting is life! To improve it O what can we do? Most disgusting is hustle and strife, And of all things an ill fitting shoe— Shoe O bother an ill fitting shoe!
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888)
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Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]3. Turkey Discipline [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
Horrid Turkeys! what a pother! Leave my Mother's gulls alone! We, alas! can get no other, If those precious two are gone! — Still you persevere! — You Monsters! — Over you have come — pell-mell! — Oh! my gulls! — if you come near them I will utter such a yell!!! " Bless my heart — nine monstrous turkeys! — Gracious! — all the garden's full! — And one great one with a jerk has Pounced upon my favourite gull!" — Through the noise of turkeys calling, Now was heard, distinct and well, From the Southern window squalling Many a long and awful yell. Down rushed Fanny and Eliza; — — Screams and squeaks and yowlings shrill, — — Gulls and turkeys with their cries around them echoed o'er the hill: — What would they not give to fetch them Such a blow! — sad to tell — As poor Fanny ran to catch them, Evil turkeys — down she fell! —
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888)
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(adapted to the tune of " Shades of Evening")Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
4. My Sweet Home is No Longer Mine
Language: English
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5. Interlude
Language: Unknown Language
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6. How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear [sung text not yet checked]
Language: English
How pleasant to know Mr. Lear, Who has written such volumes of stuff. Some think him ill-tempered and queer, But a few find him pleasant enough. His mind is concrete and fastidious, His nose is remarkably big; His visage is more or less hideous, His beard it resembles a wig. He has ears, and two eyes, and ten fingers, (Leastways if you reckon two thumbs); He used to be one of the singers, But now he is one of the dumbs. He sits in a beautiful parlour, With hundreds of books on the wall; He drinks a great deal of marsala, But never gets tipsy at all. He has many friends, laymen and clerical, Old Foss is the name of his cat; His body is perfectly spherical, He weareth a runcible hat. When he walks in waterproof white, The children run after him so! Calling out, "He's gone out in his night- Gown, that crazy old Englishman, oh!" He weeps by the side of the ocean, He weeps on the top of the hill; He purchases pancakes and lotion, And chocolate shrimps from the mill. He reads, but he does not speak, Spanish, He cannot abide ginger beer; Ere the days of his pilgrimage vanish, How pleasant to know Mr. Lear!
Text Authorship:
- by Edward Lear (1812 - 1888), "By Way of Preface", appears in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets, first published 1888
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]Total word count: 466