A baby watched a ford, whereto
A wagtail came
for drinking;
A blaring bull went wading through,
The wagtail
showed no shrinking.
A stallion splashed his way across,
The birdie
nearly sinking;
He gave his plumes a twitch and toss,
And held his own
unblinking.
Next saw the baby round the spot
A mongrel slowly
slinking;
The wagtail gazed, but faltered not
In dip and sip
and prinking.
A perfect gentleman then neared;
The wagtail, in
a winking,
With terror rose and disappeared;
The baby fell
a-thinking.
2 comments:
Listen to Benjamin Britten's perfect setting in this year of his centenary. And then listen to the whole cycle of Winter Words WITH THE TEXTS. And then listen again and again. THEN go on to the Serenade, Nocturne, War Requiem, Holy Sonnets, Proverbs and Songs of Blake etc etc to see what a great composer can do with great poetry. Peter Pears also shows what a great singer can do, but he is an acquired taste.
You're right. As a teacher I used to play the Pears'/Britten recording to the kids (8 years old) and after two or three hearings they loved it. Wonderful poetry, wonderful music.
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