by Vachel Lindsay (1879 - 1931)
The mouse that gnawed the oak‑tree down
Language: English
The mouse that gnawed the oak-tree down Began his task in early life. He kept so busy with his teeth He had no time to take a wife. He gnawed and gnawed through sun and rain When the ambitious fit was on. Then rested in the sawdust till A month of idleness had gone. He did not move about to hunt The coteries of mousie-men. He was a snail-paced, stupid thing Until he cared to gnaw again. The mouse that gnawed the oak-tree down, When that tough foe was at his feet -- Found in the stump no angel-cake, Nor buttered bread, nor cheese nor meat -- The forest roof let in the sky. "This light is worth the work" said he. "I'll make this ancient swamp more light." And started on another tree.
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Text Authorship:
- by Vachel Lindsay (1879 - 1931), "The Mouse That Gnawed the Oak-Tree Down", appears in The Congo and Other Poems, first published 1914 [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 Norman Dello Joio (1913 - 2008), "A fable", published 1947 [ tenor, SATB chorus, and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Louis Gruenberg (1884 - 1964), "The Mouse That Gnawed the Oak-Tree Down", op. 22 no. 6, published 1925 [ medium voice and piano ], from Animals and Insects, no. 6 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-07-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 132