Skip to content
ARCHIVE
Archive notice. This is a historical page from the ItalianOpera archive (website online since 1995). Some formatting and links may reflect the original legacy structure.

TESTO DEL LIED

"Came the great Popinjay"
di Edith Sitwell (1887-1964)

Came the great Popinjay
Smelling his nosegay:
In cages like grots,
The bird sang gavottes.
"Herodiade's flea
Was named sweet Amanda.
She danced like a lady
From here to Uganda.
Oh, what a dance was there!
Long-haired, the candle
Salome-like tossed her hair
To a dance tune by Handel"...
Dance they still? Then came
Courtier Death
Blew out the candle flame
With civet breath.