Poems Inspired by London's Railway Stations - Paddington. Comical Poem 868 by Angela Lansbury.

Paddington station is the best

For travellers heading to the west

Work, happy UK holiday

Or on to far off USA

Selfie statues: Paddington Bear,

Engineer Brunel on his chair,

Tall hugging lovers stand upstairs

Symbolize travelling everywhere.

-ends-

(More tomorrow)

On The First Day Of Christmas Please draw for me. Comical poem 852 by Angela Lansbury

 

Photo of Xmas tote bag. By Angela Lansbury. 

I was thinking that songs for children should be up-to-date and educational. I want to update a numbers song. I thought of the first day of Christmas.

It was published in 1780 so it is out of copyright. There's a website called songfinder. But I decided it was safer to use Wikipedia. I found the words

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me
A partridge in a pear tree

On the second day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas my true love sent to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

• four calling birds
• five gold rings
• six geese a-laying
• seven swans a-swimming
• eight maids a-milking
• nine ladies dancing
• ten lords a-leaping
• eleven pipers piping
• twelve drummers drumming

My updated version starts:

On the first day of Christmas please draw for me

A parakeet in a pear tree (or A parrot in an apple tree)

On the second day of holiday please draw for me

two black cats and two red roses

three dogs with big eyes, long tails, black noses

four pretty flower posies

five funny little fishes

six filled bowls and fruit dishes

Seven swans, and cygnets swimming

Eight cows, cups of milk and drinking

nine little children dancing

Ten gymnasts bravely leaping

Eleven pretty pipers piping

Twelve little drummers drumming

Thirteen in a choir, humming

Hum-m-m!

During the holidays I went to the park

Just for the afternoon, it soon got dark

We swam in one heated pool

Had a shower to stay cool

We rode on a wooden donkey

And climbed like a real life monkey

We swung on one swing

And climbed up two sets of ropes

We ran through three tunnels

Asked for ice cream, full of hopes

We rode on a little train

Which went round and round again

We saw people walking dogs

And a pond with fish and frogs

We went to soft play at a zoo

Saw an animal or two

I saw one rabbit

Which had a chewing habit

I saw two little sheep

Their white wool was very deep.

It grew dark and we were tired 

From running around with soft toys we'd acquired

And once somebody fell on the muddy ground

For five minutes they cried and wailed a dreadful sound

But their mother gave them a mermaid sticking plaster

And soon they giggled and I heard lots of laughter

And I was yawning and ready for a sleep

At the end of the day and my eyes could hardly keep ...

So we fed the animals some food

But then grandma said we had to go away

So I waved goodbye to pigs and promised

Grinning goats, dears, we'll come back another day.

-ends-

Dears hints at deer.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Happiness Is Shopping Hopping. Comical poem number 792 by Angela Lansbury

 

Happiness is a smart new hat

Happiness is a new soft dress

Happiness is pretty colours

A big, red ring, bound to impress

Happiness is a cute necklace

Happiness is a heart-shaped ring

What I chose for myself, or you

Free gifts, discounts on anything

Happiness is on holiday

Nothing needs to be done today

Happiness is when you and me

Go with the flow and both agree

I'm happy when they speak English

But smile when I say por favor

I've shown goodwill, I spoke two words

And maybe know two or three more.

-ends-

Written in Tenerife, Canary Islands.

Don't Ask Us Why! Comical poem 776 by Angela Lansbury

We never asked why we were born

Why we start young, but end up old

Yet we start timid in sun cream

Then dive, brave the cold, ski, are bold.

As teens, silently wonder why

The old are still there and don't die

Don't ask what's best to do today

But ask where singles holiday

We all like to work from home

Be all alone, yet on the phone

Wear small clothes, cheap, and like that look

To maximize likes on Facebook

The world's so big, yet all in reach

To climb, hike, ski, or surf the sea

To sunbathe on the sandy beach

Where's hot, but cool, free, luxury?

Our son thought he'd save, buy a tent

Astonishing how much he spent

Whilst I, just like a frugal mouse

Decided we should swap our house

We found, like us, they lived in hell

We broke cheap cups, cleaned up the smell

So now at last we broke the spell

Don't ask why we booked a hotel

So now at last, no mystery

Our puzzled days are history

What's cheap is cheap, what's dear is dear

Five star hotel, that's why we're here.

-ends-

Please share links to your favourite poems.

Facts. Our son practised camping by putting up a tent in our garden. 

My husband spent more than the cost of a night in a hotel, and a taxi to a hotel, on  buying a tent, and a  on a sleeping bag, bag liner, hiking boots, torch and most of the contents of the camping shop website.

We did a home swap with a family in the Channel Islands. Packing for a holiday takes time. But clearing your house for a family of four to move in takes longer. You need to pack away valuables and clear space, and leave new matching crockery in sets of four.

Updated lengthened poem and added comments on July 10th 2026.

What Is A Blog? Comic poem 442 by Angela Lansbury

A blog is a log, a diary

A daily message to you from me

A blog can publicise a cause

About my diet - no - helping yours!

 Blogs posts have themes. Each day write one

What's the point of writing a blog?

Blogs can be good fun for someone 

Who doesn't have a busy job

A blog can promote and sell work

Or record family and play

It's something serious you say

When asked, 'What did you do today?'

A blog needs to be creative

Like a speech from a Toastmaster

While you're writing and researching

It makes your slow time go faster

Sometimes on holiday you stop

You've fewer clicks. Is it worthwhile?

Unsure, re-start, get your reward

When someone says, 'You made me smile!'

-ends-

Please share links to your favourite posts.

New Pictures from Piccadilly in Old London, England

Piccadilly provides many pleasures

Green scenes and architectural treasures

Tour old times, on top of a modern bus

Take brollies. If it rains, don't make a fuss

You can see the sights by the light of day

Or see sunsets and night life in the dark

I like to walk even on drizzly days

To read and photograph historic plaques

You can pedal around, take your own time

By hiring and handy red and green bike

The latest brand's name is the short word Lime

You can take any bike - just don't take mine!

When you're tired of wet shoes and hat and socks, 

When you're feeling tired, your body clock stops

Then it's time for you to take hot time out

With cold ice cream at the good old Hard Rock

If you walk or bike, feel sad and alone

Don't moan and bleed, about postcard price greed

Don't tell strangers about rain and life's knocks

Phone from the classy, glassy red phone box

Everyone at home thinks you're having fun

That all tourists enjoy eternal sun

That you're not tired when the day's fun is done

That you're the rich trav'ler, the lucky one

So call them all, call Billy, call Willy

Tell them all proudly that willy-nilly

At serious sights, or simply silly

You'll call them from famous Piccadilly

Before you smile and wave for your selfie

Or your blog, hello and goodbye today

Remember, on holiday, interrupt

Jealous friends worldwide, on their working day.

-ends-

Revised to ten syllable line count, by Angela Lansbury April 26th 2022.

Brolly is the British English short form for umbrella.

Your Pilot Speaking

(See explanation and background to this poem on my travel blog.) To be performed wearing a cap with gold buttons. Your Pilot Speaking by Angela Lansbury

 "This is your co-pilot speaking
I promise we're leaving on time
I know you feel like you're dying
Just breathe deeply, and you'll be fine ..."

"This is your co-pilot speaking
I'm sorry about the delay
If you look out of the windows
You'll see goat herds on the runway

"We don't usually tell you
When we see a snake on the plane
I lift my feet in the cockpit
Calmly sigh, 'Oh no - not again!'

"Whilst I am waiting for the vet
I announce, 'We're waiting for parts ...'
I send for vets - and two doctors
Mine quickly checks my waltzing heart!

"We know you've paid lots of money
We pretend complaints don't cause stress
Altitude makes food taste funny
Crew clean toilets, they do their best

"I hope you enjoy a pleasant flight
A safe journey, a lovely day
Remember whilst you have a holiday
We're working, driving, smiling, all day."

-ends-

Copyright Angela Lansbury April 21 2017 Sorry, readers - I typed this out as verse but it appears on the page you read without the breaks because somewhere I have clicked on showing the HTML which means I have to insert the instructions for line breaks. One day, when I've sorted this out, I shall go back and check and change every post. Meanwhile I have to rush off to meetings.