Wishing (Allingham, set by F. Boott, W. Gilchrist, H. Loomis, W. Miessner, E. Newton, C. Stanford) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


Ring-Ting! I wish I were a Primrose,
A bright yellow Primrose, blowing in the spring!
 The stooping boughs above me,
 The wandering bee to love me,
 The fern and moss to creep across,
 And the Elm tree for our king!

Nay -- stay! I wish I were an Elm tree,
A great, lofty Elm tree, with green leaves gay!
  The winds would set them dancing,
  The sun and moonshine glance in,
  The birds would house among the boughs,
  And sweetly sing.

Oh no! I wish I were a Robin,
A Robin or a little Wren, everywhere to go;
  Through forest, field, or garden,
  And ask no leave or pardon,
  Till winter comes with icy thumbs
  To ruffle up our wing!

Well -- tell! Where should I fly to,
Where go to sleep in the dark wood or dell?
  Before a day was over,
  Home comes the rover,
  For mother's kiss -- sweeter this
  Than any other thing.

Authorship

William Allingham (1824-1889)

Day and Night Songs

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

Francis Boott (1813-1904)

William Wallace Gilchrist (1846-1916)

Sixth Book of Songs

Harvey Worthington Loomis (1865-1930)

Sixth Year Music

William Otto Miessner (1880-1967)

The Music Hour

Elbridge Ward Newton (1863-)

The Home Edition

Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924)

Date added to the website: 2005-12-21.

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