Have you heard how the wars began, Benjamin Bowmaneer? Have you heard how the wars began? Castors away! Have you heard how the wars began When England fought to a man? And the proud tailor rode prancing away Of his shear board he made a horse, Benjamin Bowmaneer Of his shear board he made a horse, Castors away! Of his shear board he made a horse For him to ride across. And the proud tailor rode prancing away Of his scissors made bridle bits, Benjamin Bowmaneer Of his scissors made bridle bits, Castors away! Of his scissors made bridle bits To keep the horse in his wits. And the proud tailor rode prancing away As the tailor rode o’er the lea, Benjamin Bowmaneer As the tailor rode o’er the lea, Castors away! As the tailor rode o’er the lea, He spied a flea on his knee. And the proud tailor rode prancing away Of his needle he made a spear, Benjamin Bowmaneer Of his needle he made a spear, Castors away! Of his needle he made a spear To prick that flea through his ear. And the proud tailor rode prancing away Of his thimble he made a bell, Benjamin Bowmaneer Of his thimble he made a bell, Castors away! Of his thimble he made a bell To ring that flea’s funeral knell. And the proud tailor rode prancing away Was this how the wars began, Benjamin Bowmaneer? Was this how the wars began? Castors away! Was this how the wars began When England fought to a man? And the proud tailor rode prancing away

The world looks small through stable doors And worth its weight in gold, of course! So it's off to play at billiards out among the Hun, Went the merry Lords of England. They sailed away for far frontiers. They slept in caves, ate chandeliers, And steaming up the Yangtze on an improvised chaise-longue, Appeared the merry Lords of England. My eyes are dim! I cannot see The breast-bone for the cutlery, The garden for the topiary, The way we've grown for the Glory. We held their gloves in common trust; The sun shone through the knuckle-dust. Then home to lie in dim-lit rooms Of trophies they had won, Repaired the merry Lords of England. My eyes are dim! I cannot see The breast-bone for the cutlery, The garden for the topiary, The way we've grown for the Glory. The snow falls down unbidden on A man behind a rhododendron. "Oh where is my white elephant?... Oh where has my white elephant gone?"

Her mouth is red all by itself. Dear Boy, Take her in, And hide her in your chest awhile - Bury her down. And lace your veins with her gunpowder And paint her face with your roses. She must never know, She must never know, Her mouth is red all by itself. Dear Girl, Bear him up, And shoot him through your spine awhile - Follow him out. And lace his veins with your gunpowder And paint your face with his roses. He must never know, He must never know, Your mouth is red all by itself.

The cuckoo squats in a dark dovecote. The piper sucks on a medlar's rot. I sang until I quite forgot The reason for the song The reason for the song. And in a town as the evening grew, The crook of certain arms shone blue And someone called for something new Then listened late and long Then listened late and long. The cuckoo squats in a dark dovecote. The piper pulls at the surgeon's knot. And I'll sing until I've clean forgot The reason for the song The reason for the song.

It does no good to damn your eyes For letting in all kinds of lies Or showing more than they disguise. Lully, lullay, Your bed is green. Each man's his own iconoclast As days get done and past goes past And it cares not if you're first or last. Lully, lullay, Your bed is green. Go take the day to smithereens, Its swollen tongues and dark machines And grow a new one in your dreams. Lully, lullay, Your bed is green. So there you were as here you are Like the hollow bell in an all-night bar From your ocean floor to your lightbulb star. Lully, lullay, Your bed is green. The Furies laugh and shake their hair, And doubts awaken everywhere; Let them crowd around your bed and stare. Lully, lullay, Your bed is green. Lully, Lully, lullay, Your bed is green.

The snail puts out its silver horn. You leave the jungles of the lawn. You call me on the telephone; You have been along time gone. Honey in the rock, Honey in the rock, Oh and it tastes just like honey, Taste and see If the Lord is good, Oh yes it tastes just like honey in the rock. Oh can I come and sit with you? My head is wet with the midnight dew. Strange headlights across my ceiling flew, And the radio was humming. Honey in the rock, Honey in the rock, Oh and it tastes just like honey, Taste and see If the Lord is good, Oh yes it tastes just like honey in the rock. So come awake the sun is slow; She moves between the things you know. And something flutters bright below, You have been a long time coming... Honey in the rock Honey in the rock, Oh and it tastes just like honey, Taste and see - The Lord is good, Oh and it tastes just like honey in the rock. Doo-dah Doo-dah Doo-dah Doo-dah

The old folks cut their toenails By the light of a cartoon, It's the story of a man Who sticks a flag into the moon, When some of them start howling And are marched out of the room. Oh, history's what you feel like in the morning. The Pope is in the ballroom Inside the skirts of Rome, Between her mighty pillars Looking up into the dome. Outside the dance is starting; He is standing there alone. Oh, history's what you feel like in the morning. The corridors are endless! The ceiling's very high! The cornices are changing As they gather in the sky! And I am just a stranger Who moves across your eye Oh, history's what you feel like in the morning. Hoax and Benison Sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. I love him As he loves me And history's what we feel like in the morning.

I died for beauty, but was scarce Adjusted in the tomb, When one who died for truth was lain In an adjoining room. He questioned softly why I failed? “For beauty,” I replied.” And I for truth – the two are one; We brethren are,” he said. And so, as kinsmen met a-night, We talked between the rooms, Until the moss had reached our lips, And covered up our names.