The Old Tailor/Nothing [DE LA MARE POEMS SET TO MUSIC]
Channel: tobydarling
Date: 2019-09-22

The Old Tailor (Walter de la Mare)

Am E Am G Am
There was once an old tailor of Hickory Mo,
Am E Am G Am
Too tired at evening to sew, to sew;
Am Bm/A C/A D/A
He put by his needle, he snapped his thread,
Am G Am
And, cross-legged, sang to his fiddle instead.
His candle bobbed at each note that came
And spat out a spark from the midst of its flame;
His catgut strings they yelped and yawled,
The wilder their scrapings the louder he bawled;
D C G A
The grease trickled over at every beat,
D C Bm Am
Welled down to the stick in a winding-sheet - 
Am Bm/A C/A D/A
Till up sprang Puss from the fire, with a WOW!
E D Am
‘A fine kakkamangul you’re making now!’

Nothing

Am Am/G D/F#
Whsst and away, and over the green,
Am G F
Scampered a shape that never was seen.
Am Am/G D/F#
It ran without sound, it ran without shadow,
Am G F Em
Never a grass-blade in unmown meadow
Dm E7
Stooped at the thistledown fall of its foot.
Am Am/G D/F# F
I watched it vanish, yet saw it not - 
F F9/E Dm7 Am
A moment past, it had gazed at me;
C G
Now nought but myself and the spindle tree.
Am Am/G D/F#
A nothing! - Of air? Of earth? Of Sun? - 
Am G F
From emptiness come into vacancy gone!..
Am Am/G D/F#
Whsst, and away, and over the green,
Am G F Em
Scampered a shape that never was seen.

[F9/E : xx2011]

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