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by Edith Sitwell (1887 - 1964)

Polka
Language: English 
"Tra la la la la la la la
La!

See me dance the polka",
Said Mr Wagg like a bear,
"with my top hat
And my whiskers that -
(Tra la la) trap the Fair."
Where the waves
seem chiming haycocks
I dance the polka; there
Stand Venus' children in their gay frocks, -
Maroon and marine, - and stare
To see me fire my pistol
Through the distance blue as my coat;
Like Wellington, Byron, the
Marquis of Bristol,
Busbied great trees float.

While the wheezing hurdy-gurdy
Of the marine wind blows me
To the tune of Annie Rooney, sturdy,
Over the sheafs of the sea;

And bright as a seedsman's packet
With zinnias, candytufts chill,
Is Mrs. Marigold's Jacket
As she gapes at the inn door still,

Where at dawn in the box of the sailor,
Blue as the decks of the sea,
Nelson awoke crowed like the cocks,
Then back to the dust sank he.

And Robinson Crusoe
Rues so
The bright and foxy beer, -
But he finds fresh isles
in a negress' smiles, -
The poxy doxy dear,

As they, watch me dance the polka",
Said MrWagg like a bear,
"In my top hat and my whiskers that, -
Tra la la, trap the Fair,
Tra la la la la la -
Tra la la la la la -
Tra la la la la la la la
    La     La     La!"

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

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), "Polka", 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: 43
Word count: 227

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