Tom Williams
Three Penny Poems (1993)

Three Penny Poems (1993)

Three Songs on Poems of Penny Windsor, For Soprano and Viola.
Music by Tom Williams

Words by Penny Anne Windsor

I. one more time

and he walked out one more time
saying he would contact me maybe sometime
and I lay in his warm and rumpled sheets
and declared that this would be the last time
I cried for him
that this time I would rise
tough and cold and dry
and putting on my fancy shoes
my silky shirt my bright pink skirt
I would walk into the early morning world
legs winging breasts swinging
proud and laughing lady

and that is all that is all anyone would see

3pp-song1

II. Yellow flowers in november

you give me
yellow flowers in november
__our skies were violent
__and quickly cold
__our nights were like knives
you give me
yellow flowers in november
__yellow as our summer sun
__yellow as a fire
__as noon as straw
__as fruit
__as memories
__yellow as my smallest cotton dress
you give me
yellow flowers in november
and our child inside me moves
trembling turning tumbling
towards them

3pp-song2

III. through the long nights

through the long nights
I hear your voice caress me
crying through the breeze
that sets the dead leaves rustling
and the dogs howling

I use you
against the shadows
swinging you to and fro
a charm against my evil dreams

3pp-song3

Performances

  1. Juliana Janes Yaffe, Boston – Dec. 1993,  Jan. Mar. May 1994
  2. Virginia – June 1994
  3. NY Singing Teachers Soc. Conf. Jan 13 ’98, viola Ann Rogga
  4. New York, Feb. 8th (& March 3rd, May. 2 NYC performances in Feb and March,’99) ’97 viola Ann Rogga