This book of humorous poems has stayed close by my side all these years. I often share the poems with my friends when they come over and a small group of us can even recite some of them off by heart.......what joy this book have given us.
Here are 4 of my favourites:
NOOLIGAN
I'm a nooligan
don't give a toss
in our class
I'm the boss
(well, one of them)
I'm a nooligan
got a nard 'ead
step out of line
and you're dead
(well bleedin)
I'm a nooligan
I spray my name
all over town
footballs me game
(well, watchin)
I'm a nooligan
violence is fun
gonna be a nassassin
or a nired gun
(well, a soldier)
BUCKET
Every evening after tea
grandad would take his bucket for a walk.
An empty bucket
When I asked him why
he said because it was easier to carry
than a full one
granddad had
an answer
for everything
THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN THE WORLD
is stand in the hot sun
at the end of a long queue for ice creams
watching all the people who've just brought theirs
coming away from the queue
giving their ice creams their very first lick.
GRUESOME
I was sitting in the sitting room
toying with some toys
when from a door marked: 'GRUESOME'
There came a GRUESOME noise.
Cautiously I opened it
and there to my surprise
a litte GRUE lay sitting
with tears in its eyes.
'Oh little GRUE please tell me
what is it ails thee so?'
'Well I'm so small,' he sobbed,
'GRUESSES don't want to know'
'Exercises are the answer,
Each morning you must DO SOME'
He thanked me, smiled,
and do you know what?
The very next day he......
I took this photo at 'Sculpture by the Sea' last week, it evokes what a 'Nooligan' or a 'Gruesome' might look like!
Hi Peggy,
ReplyDeleteWhat fun to visit your space and find poetry just sitting there waiting to be read! I haven't heard of this book but it reminds me a bit of Shel Silverstein. I've read his books many times and share them with my students. The "Nooligan" on the beach is fabulous. I still can't get over the artistry of the sculptures. Amazing when you compare that to what us regular folks can create!
Thanks for the compliments on my new page. I was so excited to get that accomplished!
BTW, my first post on my blog was a poem.... If you feel like digging through the posts, it's there! I wrote it while my daughter and I were at the beach last summer.
ReplyDeleteI love funny poems. You would enjoy the poetry of Bruce Lansky and of course Shell Silverstein
ReplyDeleteI use this one with my students only they have to write about their messy desks:
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or--
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!
I got that one from collection of free poetry available href="http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/shel_silverstein">here.
I felt the pain that ice cream licker inflicted on me!
ReplyDeleteI thought of Shel Silverstein as well!! So glad you are back up and running. I bet you didn't have time to do one thing on your list!!
ReplyDeleteThose are great! Thanks for sharing...I loved the Bucket!
ReplyDeleteI love poetry. I love deep and serious poetry. I love shallow silly poetry. I love long poetry. I love short poetry. I love fun poetry.
ReplyDeleteLoved the Gruesome poem.
I was having fun one day in class while my students were absorbed in antoher task. This fell out of my brain:
Abnormal Deviation
So much consideration
Given to the imagination
When it comes to the fermentation
We despise the creation
We recoil to see the aberration
As it holds to its deviation
Not our intended evocation
But, some slightly skewed deformation
We worry that accusation
Of a flawed mutation
May be lain at our estimation
When the future gives acclamation
A lack luster commendation
For the formation
Of a generation
Hell bent on a destination
Such a drastic separation
From our intended colonization
They refuse our adaptation
Choosing rather the abomination
The flagrant active application
With resilience bordering frustration
We strive still for standardization
While crying out with reverberation
For their self-determination
The independence of our formation
We created this stipulation
Now it is beyond our imagination
Kids … go figure
Ron Simpson
March 28, 2008
I'm sure I have Rosen and McGough on my bookshelves as well....I really enjoyed your choices. What a brilliant piece of writing by Ron Simpson in your comment column, too and to be able to write that whilst his students were on another task.....!CJ
ReplyDeletehehe.... I ve found you!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteis very late now so I'm only coming to give you a hugg, will come back tomorrow, missing you here!!!!!!!
I loved your acronyms for fear at my blog... Also, my b-day is Dec 20th...I'm right on the cusp. I do have Capricorn tendencies for sure. I am not quite the risk taker (like many Sags) and I love to work...as long as I like what I am doing! :)
ReplyDelete