Lone/As I Went to the Well-head/Alulvan [DE LA MARE poems set to music]
Channel: tobydarling
Date: 2022-12-22

Lone (Walter de la Mare)

Em Am D Em
Shrill rang the squeak in the empty house
G Em C Em
Of the sharp-nosed mouse, the hungry mouse.

D Em
'Sing, Sing: here none doth dwell!'
G Em C Em
Dripped the water in the well.

Bb Asus4 A
A robin on the shepherd's grave
Bb F C Bb
Whistled a solitary stave

Am Em
And 'Lone-lone!' the curlew cried
C G F Em
Scolding the sheep-strewn mountain's side

As I Went to the Well-head

As I went to the well-head
I heard a bird sing:
'Lie yonder, lie yonder
The Islands of Ling.

'Leagues o'er the water
Their shores are away,
In a darkness of stars,
And a foaming of spray'

x0798x x0545x
X2x032 Am7
Bm C
x0798x x0665x


Alulvan

 
 Am9
The sun is clear of bird and cloud,
C G Em
     The grass shines windless, grey, and still,
Dm E7
     In dusky ruin the owl dreams on,
C G Em
     The cuckoo echoes on the hill;
B C G
        Yet soft along Alulvan's walks
F E7
         The ghost at noonday stalks.

    C G Am
 His eyes in shadow of his hat
Am Em Am
     Stare on the ruins of his house;
C G Am
     His cloak, up-fasten'd with a brooch,
B7
     Of faded velvet grey as mouse,
G Am Em
        Brushes the roses as he goes:
G Am B7
         Yet wavers not one rose.

     The wild birds in a cloud fly up
     From their sweet feeding in the fruit;
     The droning of the bees and flies
     Rises gradual as a lute;
        Is it for fear the birds are flown,
         And shrills the insect-drone?

     Thick is the ivy o'er Alulvan,
     And crisp with summer-heat its turf;
     Far, far across its empty pastures
     Alulvan's sands are white with surf:
        And he himself is grey as sea,
         Watching beneath an elder-tree.

     All night the fretful, shrill Banshee
     Lurks in the chambers' dark festoons,
     Calling for ever, o'er garden and river,
     Through magpie changing of the moons:
        'Alulvan, O, alas! Alulvan,
         The doom of lone Alulvan!'


Made for non-commercial use only. Will be removed immediately at the request of any copyright holders.