If I had a wife I would love her as kings Loved queens in the old days, or as princes Maidens, Met in the dew, by a stile, of a morning— “How do you do, my pretty?” And all of that. If I had a wife I would come home sometimes Dressed like a stranger, and when she stared, “Lady,” I’d say, and woo her in wonder— “How can there be such shining?” And all of that. If I had a wife I would never be done With remembering how it is now when, oh, I am lonesome, And no one is here but my dog and my cat— “Well, old boys! Hungry?” And all of that.
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Authorship:
- by Mark van Doren (1894 - 1972) [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 Scott Wheeler (b. 1952), "If I had a wife", 1991/1994 [ baritone or tenor and piano ], from Serenata, no. 1, Scott Wheeler Music [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Eric Saroian
This text was added to the website: 2022-05-17
Line count: 21
Word count: 117