University of Virginia Library


64

Burletta

“Composed partly between sleeping and waking in the morning; June 10th, 1807.”

With lungs loud as Stentor's,
I'll sing my tormentors,
More frightful than centaurs;
And him that adventures,
To slay my tormentors;
And him that adventures
To slay my tormentors,
And him that adventures,
To slay my tormentors,
To slay my tormentors
To slay my tormentors.
See they rush to to my bed:
How they fill me with dread!
Hovering over my head,
Like the ghosts of the dead,
Which a charnel o'erspread!
Like the ghosts of the dead,
Which a charnel o'erspread!
Which a charnel o'erspread
Which a charnel o'erspread.

Chorus

With lungs loud as Stentor's
I'll sing my tormentors,
More frightful than centaurs;
And him that adventures,
To slay my tormentors;
And him that adventures
To slay my tormentors,
And him that adventures,
To slay my tormentors
To slay my tormentors.

65

See their hosts how they rise!
How they darken the skies!
Oh! they put out my eyes!
Ah! pity my cries!
A plague on these flies!
Ah! pity my cries!
A plague on these flies!
Ah pity my cries!
A curse on these flies!
A curse on these flies!
A curse on these flies!

Chorus

With lungs loud as Stentor's
I'll sing my tormentor's
More frightful than centaurs;
And him that adventures,
To slay my tormentors,
And him that adventures
To slay my tormentors
And him that adventures,
To slay my tormentors
To slay my tormentors
To slay my tormentors.