Monday, December 30, 2024

Nursery Rhyme, The Tree Comic Poem by Angela Lansbury number 494

 

 A nursery rhyme and repetitive song to teach English to children and non native speakers.

Angela Lansbury with lit tree at Brixton. Photo by Trevor Sharot.


The Tree

In the street, what did I see?

From the street I saw a tree

On day one I saw a tree

What did I see? I saw a tree

 

On that tree what did I see?

I saw a bird up in the tree

On that tree what did I see?

I saw two birds up in the tree

 

Up in the sky I saw a nest

What do I like most?

That was the best!

 I put a picture in the post.


On day two I saw two trees

What did I see, I saw two trees

Two singing birds

That’s what I heard

 

You can’t see anything after dark

After dark after dark

That is when they close the park

Close the park, close the park

 

Go in daytime to see the roses

See the roses, make some posies

After dark, the park closes,

The park closes, the park closes

 

On day four, guess what I saw!

Guess what I saw! Guess what I saw

On day four, an apple tree

My neighbour’s tree, an apple tree

 

That apple looked so good to me

Good to me, good to me

My neighbour said, take it please,

I hope you like it, it’s free

 

It is very good to munch

You can have it for your lunch

 I said, you are very kind

How did you see it? You’re half blind

 

He said, I’m only colour blind

He said, I don’t see red on green

You’d be surprised how much I’ve seen

You’d be surprised how much I’ve seen

 

Besides, there’s so much I can tell

From the touch, and from the smell

Here comes a cat, how do I know

The birds don’t sing. Where do they go?

 

The birds don’t say, I was here first

They don’t say, let cats do their worst

Wise birds don’t sing a tell tale song

They don’t say, I’m right, the cat’s wrong

 

The world is big, they fly away

 

The birds find somewhere else to play

That old cat will die one day

And birds come back another day.

 

In other countries, have a rest

And then come back, our welcome guests

The farmers say that birds are pests

A few are welcome, but not so many

 

Wise birds know when to stay or fly

Some build their nests high in the sky

Some like birds, some like cats

Some like both, I’ve heard of that

 

Some folk stay home, plant apple trees

Some build big boats and sail the seas

Some take gifts, and some take skills

Some work hard, and pay their bills

 

And at weekends stay home and rest

Admiring birds in their small nests

Some people say, I’ve done no wrong

I work, I play, I hear a song

 

I look out and what do I see?

A small bird singing in the tree

He sings for birds, not just for me

But good to hear we all agree

 

Oranges grow where it is hot

Apples grow where it is not

Bees in hives will make you honey

Good honey sells for lots of money

 

In tropics dates grown in the heat

Big juicy grapes, so good to eat

See rice, that’s nice, wines from grape vines

Pasta, wheat, dates, sell, buy, eat

 

Some like fruit, and some like greens

Some can’t eat fish, some won’t eat meat

Some like sugar, others don’t

And some guests will, whilst others won’t

 

So long as we can all agree

What they don’t eat leaves more for me

There’s many more apples if you plant a tree

More fish in tanks and a wider sea

 

Another small bird in that same tree

Another small bird in that same tree.

What do I see , a big oak tree

Yes, that’s what I see, a big oak tree

 

Under the tree, guess what I found

An acorn, small, and long, and round

After time a small acorn grows

To a big oak tree, everyone knows.

-ends-

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Family Secrets comic poet 493 by Angela Lansbury



 My kind and wise friend, writer Barbara

Lived a long and busy, exciting life

Tried every job, was twice a step-mother

Nursed the sick, three times a devoted wife


I was outspoken, outraged, indignant

On that memorable and shocking day

She confessed she'd found racy diaries

From her single days, shocked, thrown them away


To me they were stories of an era

Lessons which we all could have learned

The past should not be lost nor forgotten

Not lost or wasted, inheritance earned


But she didn't want her dear grand-daughter

So pure, innocent, trusting, round-eyes, sweet

To see the sordid past of her granny

Who the world's readers would now never meet


Yet now I'm frail, body and mind, eighty

I've reached the same grand age, and thought the same

I've thrown away 'fiction', porn I'd written

Censored each doubtful page, to save my name


I've thown away lacy pants and torn clothes

Sold the high heels, put sex toys in the bin

To seem a darling, sweet, soft old lady

Not one who lived a life of frantic sin


So there's one thing I must warn you, dear friends

When you tut at what silly old folk do

That when you've seen their events. reached their age

You'll find the old's new thoughts are just you


When you hide your youthful life from the old

When through the world you go and gently grow

You want to help youngsters avoid mistakes

So what kids do unseen, the parents know


But what the oldies did no-one suspects

New young don't understand life's rules and game

Until you've played each sport and tune and card

And know hurdles and people stay the same.


Most kids are good, obey, sometimes rebel 

Yet, too late, their parents are good teachers

Most grannies nod, smile, listen, kind and wise

Some old men, reformed, are shouting preachers.

-ends-

My first draft is easy to say, conversational rhythm, but banal. My revision loses its predictable rhythm and everyday phrases, becomes alliterative, twists, surprises, the rhythm is lost, more literary, less everyday cliche, more insightful, more prose than poetry, more technical and scientific and surprising than a nursery rhyme.

Saturday, December 21, 2024

Problem Solving, Moths comic poem 492 by Angela Lansbury

 Today I had a problem

Glad to say my problem's solved

But tomorrow I'll have more of them

'cos problems, they evolve.


Every item that you have

Is a problem someone solved

The car, the chair, shampoo for hair

They have all evolved


I had to sew on hat elastic

And order lining for a hat

I had lavender to repel moths 

Then I unwrapped a Mothout trap




I used a mop to clean the floor

So proud of what I've done

But soon I must do that again

So I must make it fun


By thanking all the people who

Built the house, and roof and floor

The windows and the curtains

The knocker, bell and door


I'm indebted to all of them

The inventors gone before

Pop-up toasters, zips and Velcro

There is more, and more and more


Every day I face fresh problems

My first challenge is ablutions

But there's Wiki, Google, dictionary

And my own unique solutions.

-ends-

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Chips, Cakes And Fruit For Kids & Guests comic poem 491 by Angela Lansbury


 Yalda solstice celebration cakes pretending to be melon. From Wikipedia. Caption from Angela.

My favourite food, I think, is chips

Seen on the plate, you lick your lips

Between the teeth, then underneath

The tongue, then munch, fish and chip lunch


I should change chips for baked potato

Should not add butter to my mash

And margarine? The rules have changed

Shop healthily? Or to stash cash


I hated beef, tough as old boots

You simply add soy sauce, of course

Anything half price is my loot

I frowned at yogurt, added fruit


Yes, chocolate, but sometimes fruit

Innocent as a birthday suit

Cut like a sun, another one

Tooth picks on melon look so cute


I love the watermelon red

It sends thoughts dancing in my head

Refreshed before I go to bed

It's lively lovely, tomato red


Add lemon yellow

I'll feel mellow

Lime, orange, grapefuit are its fellows

I take a sip, spit out a pip


What's strange is how my tastes have changed

I could not eat olives or pickles

I did not think that spice was nice

But now I love acidic trickles


The health inspector, monster said

Don't eat a big meal before bed

After big meals I'll rest my head

I yawn, I'm sinning, but not swimming


Some kids eat sweets, and some eat meat

To make them stop playing's a feat

For some a strawberry's a treat

Variety's what they should eat


Alas, I eat to compete

I have to eat as much as you

I feel guilty, this is silly

Is this what all fat people do?


If what you fancy does you good

Please take more fun and fattening food

I shouldn't discuss tomorrow's diet

Welcome guests should smile - and keep quiet.

-ends-

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Quick Change From Zero To Hero comic poem 490 by Angela Lansbury

Angela Lansbury, in London, December 2024. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

From water to wine

From wine to water

In moderation,

Smiles, not loud laughter


There was some laughter

I learned a lot

From the new contacts

I have got


I have a lot

Of tales to tell

The best news is

That I slept well


From friend to lover

From drunk to sober

From youth to wisdom

I'm not hungover


From wake to stare

From now to where

From here to there

From table to chair


From walk to talk

From board to chalk

From reader to preacher

From learner to teacher


From search to mess

From shower to dress

From smile to kissed

From wrist to list


From what shall I say

To have a nice day

From inner swearword

To please go away


From a simple poem

To lots of knowing

From understanding

To telling and showing


From minus one

To starting snowing

From getting ready

To I'm not going


From late breakfast

To a late lunch

From Americanisms

To thanks - a bunch


To wondering whether

I'm wasting time

From checking my clock

Your time or mine


From ups and downs

To shrugging off pains

From smiles to frowns

Write down small gains


From getting a parcel

To thanks to send

From a stranger

To a new friend


From day to night

In winter time

The days are short

In a seasonal climes


Just when you bought 

Big winter boots

The garden shows

Small green spring shoots


From wondering what

Is round life's bend

From a quick start

To surprise sudden end.

-ends-