ABC Wednesday
October 17th, 2012

Here's to the letter N - Noble, or Nonsensical.

This week we will choose Nonsensical and give you a few Nonsense Verses to tickle your fancy.

Fascination

Among your many playmates here

How is it that you all prefer

Your little friend, my dear?

"Because, Mama, though hard we try,

Not one of us can spit so high,

And catch it in his ear."

 

John Bannister Tabb

 

The Ingenious Little Old Man

A little old man of the sea

Went out in a boat for a sail,

The water came in

Almost up to his chin

And he had nothing with which to bail.

But this little old man of the sea

Just drew out his jackknife so stout,

And a hole with its blade

In the bottom he made,

So that all of the water ran out.

 

John Bennett

 

 

 

 

Twickenham

 

There was a young lady of Twickenham

Whose boots were too tight to walk quickenham.

She bore them awhile,

But at last at a stile,

She pulled them both off and was sickenham.

Anonymous

 

George

 

George, who played with a dangerous toy, and suffered a catastrophe of Considerable dimensions

 

 

When George's Grandmamma was told

That George had been as good as gold,

She promised in the Afternoon

To buy him an Immense BALLOON.

 

 

 

And so she did; but when it came,

It got into the candle flame,

And being of a dangerous sort

Exploded with a loud report!

 

 

 

The Lights went out!  The Windows Broke!

The Room was filled with Reeking Smoke,

And in the darkness shrieks and yells

Were mingled with Electric Bells,

And falling masonry and groans,

And crunching, as of broken bones,

And dreadful shrieks, when, worst of all,

The House itself began to fall!

It tottered, shuddering to and fro,

Then crashed into the street below -

Which happened to be Saville Row.

 

When Help arrived, among the Dead

Were Cousin Mary, Little Fred,

The Footmen (both of them), the Groom,

The man that cleaned the Billiard-Room,

The Chaplain, and the Still-Room Maid.

And I am dreadfully afraid

The Monsieur Champignon, the Chef,

Will now be permanently deaf -

And both his Aides are much the same;

While George, who was in part to blame,

Received, you will regret to hear,

A nasty lump behind the ear.

 

 

 

Moral

 

The moral is that little Boys

Should not be given dangerous Toys.

 

Hilaire Belloc

 



For more illustrious N's visit here, at ABC Wednesday. 

 With thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt and her Natty helpers.