Miss Melinda Mittelmore

Music by Daniel Kallman
Lyrics by Christine Kallman
SATB a cappella, 4’15”

A scampering tale of two would-be suitors tricked by the sly Melinda. Premiered in 1998 by the Southeastern Minnesota High School Honor’s Choir under the direction of Rick Kvam.

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Miss Melinda Mittelmore

Cyrano and Tyrano were two unlucky fellows.
One worked in the garden, the other at the bellows.
The cause of their misfortune was very widely known:
Miss Melinda Mittelmore they wanted for their own.

Poor Cyrano!
Poor Tyrano!
Miss Melinda Mittelmore they wanted for their own.

Melinda was a young one, a prim one, a shy one,
Miss Melinda Mittelmore was everybody’s dream.
Melinda was a quick one, a clever one, a sly one,
Melinda was a little more than what at first she seemed.

Cyrano held a hoe and dreamed away the hours,
Flattered all the maidens with verses and with flowers.
“Miss Mittelmore,” he winked, “Linger at the pond tonight.”
She said, “You carry roses, I will play the pipe.”

Tyrano, a burly lad, wrestled wood all day,
Commandeered the bellows, always got his way,
Ordered Melinda, “Be at the pond tonight.”
She said, “I’ll smell of roses, you play the pipe.”

Poor Cyrano!
Poor Tyrano!
Miss Melinda Mittelmore they wanted for their own.

Melinda went in darkness to the pond that night and looked:
Cyrano and Tyrano stood with their elbows hooked.
Just as the moon shed a telling beam of light,
Miss Melinda Mittelmore ran safely out of sight!

Melinda was a young one, a prim one, a shy one,
Miss Melinda Mittelmore was everybody’s dream.
Melinda was a quick one, a clever one, a sly one,
Melinda was a little more than what at first she seemed.

-Christine Kallman, copyright 1998, All Rights Reserved

Christine Kallman writes plays, song lyrics, and poems.