On The Plight of Linnets

On the Plight of Linnets, is a set of three short songs with text by Christina G. Rossetti. These texts can be found in her book of childrenas poetry entitled aSing Song.a Each poem is a short commentary on a type of bird called a linnet, and, being written for children, the poems are intended to teach lessons. In the order in which the poems are presented here, they also present irony. The first movement depicts linnets in two different states: one in a cage, and one on a bough. The suggestion is that the linnet that is free is the luckiest bird; however, the following movements depict a much different story of free linnets that are being tormented and devastated by cruel boys. The cruel boys are depicted by harmonically and rhythmically clashing lines that make an appearance in both the second and third movements in slightly modified forms. The final movement begins and ends with the lament of the linnets who have been wronged. The movement fades until only whispers of the birdsa existences remain, and the listener is left wondering which linnet really is the luckier bird.