Poor Henry

Thick in its glass 
the physic stands,
Poor Henry lifts
Distracted hands;
His round cheek wans 
in the candle light,
To smell that smell! 
To see that sight!

Finger and thumb
Clinch his small nose,
A gurgle, a gasp,
And down it goes:
Scowls Henry now;
But mark that cheek,
Sleek with the bloom 
Of health next week!

by Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) , "Poor Henry", from Peacock Pie: A Book of Rhymes, published 1913

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 , "Poor Henry", 2006 [medium high voice, piano], from Pieces of Peacock Pie, no. 10.
by Sir Lennox Berkeley (1903-1989) , "Poor Henry", published 1948. [medium voice and piano]

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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