Melmillo (Mare, set by C. Carey, H. Farjeon, C. Gibbs, S. Liddle) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Three and thirty birds there stood
In an elder in a wood;
Called Melmillo -- flew off three,
Leaving thirty in the tree;
Called Melmillo -- nine now gone,
And the boughs held twenty-one;
Called Melmillo -- and eighteen
Left but three to nod and preen;
Called Melmillo -- three -- two -- one --
Now of birds were feathers none.

Then stole slim Melmillo in
To that wood all dusk and green,
And with lean long palms outspread
Softly a strange dance did tread;
Not a note of music she
Had for echoing company;
All the birds were flown to rest
In the hollow of her breast;
In the wood -- thorn, elder willow --
Danced alone -- lone danced Melmillo.

Authorship

Walter de la Mare (1873-1956)

Peacock Pie: A Book of Rhymes

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

(Francis) Clive Saville Carey (1883-1968)

Harry Farjeon (1878-1948)

The Little Green Orchard

Cecil Armstrong Gibbs (1889-1960)

In a Dream's Beguiling

Samuel Liddle (1864?-1951)

Three Songs

Date added to the website: 2008-01-07.

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