by Edith Sitwell (1887 - 1964)
The octogenarian
Language: English
The octogenarian Leaned from his window, To the valerian Growing below Said, "My nightcap Is only the gap In the thrembling thorn Where the mild unicorn With the little Infanta Danced the lavolta (Clapping hands: molto Lent' eleganta)." The man with the lanthorn Peers high and low; No more Than a snore As he walks to and fro... Il Dottore the stoic Culls silver herb Benath the superb Vast moon azoic.
Text Authorship:
- by Edith Sitwell (1887 - 1964), appears in Façade, first published 1922 [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 William Walton (1902 - 1983), "The octogenarian", from Façade [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Dan Eggleston
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 21
Word count: 71