BIMBIMBIE FROM BIMBIMBIE'S BLOG

First of June, First of Winter, today marks the first day of winter here in Australia.

The North Wind Doth Blow


The north wind doth blow,
And we shall have snow,
And what will poor robin do then?
Poor thing!

He'll sit in a barn,
And keep himself warm,
And hide his head under his wing.
Poor thing!

~~~

Thanks to Daisy for reminding me of the first poems that have stayed with me since childhood. Here's a couple more that have come to mind....

This is the very first I can recall my Dad reciting at me...probably because I had my bottom lip out saying don't care. I can still see the illustration of a surly boy sitting in a pan with his arms and legs dangling over the side. And it always pops back into my mind's eye should I hear someone say I don't care.

Don't care didn't care

Don't care was dumb

Don't care was put in a pot

And boiled till he was done.

~~~

Another Favourite was the Owl and the Pussy Cat.

The Owl and the Pussy Cat

by

Edward Lear

The Owl and the Pussy Cat went to sea

In a beautiful pea-green boat,

They took some honey, and plenty of money

Wrapped up in a five-pound note.

The Owl looked up to the stars above,

And sang to a small guitar,

"O lovely Pussy, O Pussy, my love,

What a beautiful Pussy you are,

You are,You are!

What a beautiful Pussy you are!"

*

Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl!

How charmingly sweet you sing!

O let us be married! too long we have tarried:

But what shall we do for a ring?

"They sailed away, for a year and a day,

To the land where the Bong-tree grows

And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood

With a ring at the end of his nose,

His nose,His nose,

With a ring at the end of his nose.

*

"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling

Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."

So they took it away, and were married next day

By the Turkey who lives on the hill.

They dined on mince, and slices of quince,

Which they ate with a runcible spoon;

And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,

They danced by the light of the moon,

The moon,The moon,

They danced by the light of the moon.
~~~

And another favourite from childhood was Who Killed Cock Robin

The Death and Burial of Cock Robin

Who killed Cock Robin?

I, said the Sparrow,

with my bow and arrow,

I killed Cock Robin.

*

Who saw him die?

I, said the Fly,

with my little eye,

I saw him die.

*

Who caught his blood?

I, said the Fish,

with my little dish,

I caught his blood.

*

Who'll make the shroud?

I, said the Beetle,

with my thread and needle,

I'll make the shroud.

*

Who'll dig his grave?

I, said the Owl,

with my pick and shovel,

I'll dig his grave.

*

Who'll be the parson?

I, said the Rook,

with my little book,

I'll be the parson.

*

Who'll be the clerk?

I, said the Lark,

if it's not in the dark,

I'll be the clerk.

*

Who'll carry the link?

I, said the Linnet,

I'll fetch it in a minute,

I'll carry the link.

*

Who'll be chief mourner?

I, said the Dove,

I mourn for my love,

I'll be chief mourner.

*

Who'll carry the coffin?

I, said the Kite,

if it's not through the night,

I'll carry the coffin.

*

Who'll bear the pall?

We, said the Wren,

both the cock and the hen,

We'll bear the pall.

*

Who'll sing a psalm?

I, said the Thrush,

as she sat on a bush,

I'll sing a psalm.

*

Who'll toll the bell?

I said the bull,

because I can pull,

I'll toll the bell.

*

All the birds of the air

fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,

when they heard the bell toll

for poor Cock Robin.

~~~