The messenger

Bee! tell me whence do you come? 
Ten fields away, twenty perhaps, 
Have heard your hum.
If you are from the north, you may 
Have passed my mother's roof of straw 
Upon your way.

If you came from the south, you should 
Have seen another cottage just
Inside the wood.
And should you go back that way, please 
Carry a message to the house
Among the trees. 

Say -- I will wait her at the rock 
Beside the stream, this very night 
At eight o'clock. 
And ask your queen when you get home 
To send my queen the present of
A honeycomb.

by James Stephens (1882-1950) , "The messenger", from Songs from the Clay, published 1915

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

by Dorothy Parke , "Queen of the Bees", 1951 [voice and piano], from A Honeycombe, no. ?
by (Joseph) Deems Taylor (1885-1966) , "The messenger", 1920 [voice and piano], from Three songs, no. ?

Date added to the website: 2009-01-22.

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