Nonsense Poems

[AB Editor]

What's your favourite nonsense poem? I like the Jabberwocky.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.


"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

I wondered, besides Caroll, who is a good source of Nonsense Poems? I also wondered if there is a well known collection of English nonsense poems for kids?

[AB Editor]

Thanks JNO, I will hunt that down.

The reason I ask for a kids book, maybe an illustrated version, is that a friend of mine's step-daughter is particularly good at memorising books - she can "read" all her hundreds of books as if she could actually read (she is only just 3...)

I thought it would be good if she could have lots of fun words to carry around in her head :)

[Kiki-frog]

Just googled it, Alba, and apparently it's Edward Lear again

[jno]

there's more here on One Fine Day than anyone could possibly need...

http://www.folklore.bc.ca/Onefineday.htm#Onefine

[Tilly2]

Thank goodness that's settled, jno. Impolititude is not my thing!

I like this Roger McGough poem

I wanna be the leader
I wanna be the leader
Can I be the leader? Can I?
I can?
Promise?
Promise? Yipee, I'm the leader
I'm the leader

OK...........
What shall we do?

[Tilly2]

Ed, the Opie book is not a children's book.

[AB Editor]

That's different to the one I remember Jno, but then, I barely remember it!

[maggiebee]

Ladies and gentlemen, hoboes and tramps,
Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bow-legged ants,
I come before you to stand behind you,
To tell you something I know nothing about.
Next Thursday, which is Good Friday,
There will be a Mother's Day meeting for fathers only;
Admission is free, so pay at the door,
Pull up a seat and sit on the floor.
The topic to discuss...
The crime that has never been committed.

Thanks for the link jno

[AB Editor]

"Ed, the Opie book is not a children's book."

I know, that's why I reiterated that I wanted a childrens book? When I hunt it down it will be for myself :)

[Tilly2]

The book I named is a children's book.

[paddywak]

How about this one.

In the Big Rock Candy Mountain
all the cops have wooden legs,
amd the bull dogs all have rubber teeth
and the hens lay soft boiled eggs.

[AB Editor]

There's a few versions of that:

http://www.redwoods.edu/instruct/agarwin/big_rock_candy_mountain.htm

[mrs.chappie]

Cold cold custard and green snot pie
All mixed together with a dead dog's eye
Stir it up good, all nice and thick
Then wash it down with a cold cup of sick

I remember chanting this in the school playground when I worra lass. No wonder I grew up bonkers.

[Kiki-frog]

We had a similar rhyme, Mrs C, although ours began 'Cold cream custard, bogey pie...'

Aren't children revolting little gits?

[Brinjal]

Also like spike milligans ning. Nang nong

[Brinjal]

Roald dahls the anteater

[Brinjal]

In fact his whole collection of dirty beasts. Is great

[AB Editor]

Oh yes, Dahl.

That's probably the answer.

[chrisgel]

A Nonsense Poem by John Lennon

“He is putting it lithely when he says
Quobble in the Grass
Strab he down the soddieflays
Amo amat amass
Amonk, amink, a minibus
Amarmylaidie Moon
Amikky mendip multiplus
Amighty midgey spoon
And so I traddled onward
Caring not a care
Onward, Onward, Onward.
(yells loudly) Onward my friends, and glory for the fifty-ninth!!”

[mrs.chappie]

They certainly are, Kiki.

Another one I remember is -

PK penny a packet
First you chew it, then you crack it
Then you stick in on your jacket
PK penny a packet

PK was chewing gum. Some little blighters used to stick it on the school chairs. The swines.

[Canary42]

///The song of canaries
Never varies
And when they're moulting
They're pretty revolting ///

Oi ! Watch it !