Songs of a Savoyard

The first half of this lively anthology bursts with the kind of jaunty sea‑shanty humor that once filled the decks of Victorian sailing ships. A tongue‑in‑cheek narrator boasts of daring encounters with French frigates, playful bravado, and the absurd pride of a self‑styled Englishman, all rendered in catchy, rhymed couplets. The verses capture the camaraderie, bravado, and occasional folly of sailors with a wink and a grin.

Beyond the nautical frolics, the collection turns its witty eye toward society, offering a sardonic portrait of a self‑appointed philanthropist who is perpetually called ‘disagreeable.’ It also muses on the inevitable march of time, describing the fading beauty of a woman with gentle, lyrical melancholy, and the darkly comic tale of a gondolier and his tragic fate. Listeners will enjoy the clever wordplay, rhythmic bounce, and the timeless charm of these Victorian nonsense poems.