Poetry, not lyrics

There is a book of poetry on the shelf next to our dining room that my daughter will bring to me sometime during dinner that I might read a few verses after dinner. Yes, it does sound like something out of Little House on the Prairie.

The book is the collected poems of William Blake. Within it there is an almost chronological progression of his poetry moving for the songs of innocence to songs of experience to much more epic content.

There is one poem that, in typical Conley fashion, I have become really obsessed with a poem that has struck me because of both its form and content. Take a look:

The Little Vagabond

Dear Mother, dear Mother, the Church is cold,
But the Ale-house is healthy & pleasant & warm;
Besides I can tell where I am use’d well,
Such usage in heaven will never do well.

But if at the Church they would give us some Ale.
And a pleasant fire, our souls to regale;
We’d sing and we’d pray, all the live-long day;
Nor ever once wish from the Church to stray,

Then the Parson might preach & drink & sing.
And we’d be as happy as birds in the spring:
And modest dame Lurch, who is always at Church,
Would not have bandy children nor fasting nor birch.

And God like a father rejoicing to see,
His children as pleasant and happy as he:
Would have no more quarrel with the Devil or the Barrel
But kiss him & give him both drink and apparel.

It is a great. I love the idea of the warmth of the ale-house seems connect with people more than the cold walls of the church. This is a more simple example of a William Blake poem, but it is so far from a successful theater lyric.

Alright, I hear the crowds approaching me about how this would be great to set for a vocal ensemble or solo. In many ways it would, but this lyric would be difficult to digest without explanation and study. It tells a great story, but it is dense and ripe for more academic analysis.

What do you think?  Would this function as a theater lyric?  If it made sense in the context would it work? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.