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by James Withcomb Riley (1849 - 1916)

The Lugubrious Whing‑Whang
Language: English 
Out on the margin of moonshine land,
    Tickle me, love, in these lonesome ribs,
Out where the whing-whang loves to stand,
Writing his name with his tail on the sand,
And wiping it out with his oogerish hand;
    Tickle me, love, in these lonesome ribs.

Is it the gibber of gungs and keeks?
    Tickle me, love, in these lonesome ribs,
Or what is the sound the whing-whang seeks,
Crouching low by the winding creeks,
And holding his breath for weeks and weeks?
    Tickle me, love, in these lonesome ribs.

Aroint him the wraithest of wraithly things!
    Tickle me, love, in these lonesome ribs,
'Tis a fair whing-whangess with phosphor rings,
And bridal jewels of fangs and stings,
And she sits and as sadly and softly sings
As the mildewed whir of her own dead wings;
    Tickle me, dear; tickle me here.
    Tickle me, love, in these lonesome ribs.

Text Authorship:

  • by James Withcomb Riley (1849 - 1916), "The Lugubrious Whing-Whang", appears in Rhymes of Childhood, New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, first published 1898 [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 Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "The Lugubrious Whing-Whang", 2009 [low voice or medium voice and piano] [ sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2009-11-23
Line count: 20
Word count: 148

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