Friday, June 02, 2006
Nonsense rhymes
Kay Ryan in the May issue of Poetry (p.155) writes about the 16th century nonsense rhyme we've all known since childhood:
Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?
I've been to London to see the Queen.
Pussycat, Pussycat, what did you there?
I frightened a little mouse under a chair.
The humor is that the Pussycat went a long way at great effort to do something she could have done at home. It's so silly, we can say it without even thinking about the circumstances. How about a 21st century version?
Senator, senator where have you been?
I've been at the border looking at sin.
Senator, senator what did you find?
What we tried before, the amnesty bind.
OR
Media, media where have you been?
Looking for scandals, multiplied by ten.
Media, media what did you find?
Not much because we're so blind.
Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?
I've been to London to see the Queen.
Pussycat, Pussycat, what did you there?
I frightened a little mouse under a chair.
The humor is that the Pussycat went a long way at great effort to do something she could have done at home. It's so silly, we can say it without even thinking about the circumstances. How about a 21st century version?
Senator, senator where have you been?
I've been at the border looking at sin.
Senator, senator what did you find?
What we tried before, the amnesty bind.
OR
Media, media where have you been?
Looking for scandals, multiplied by ten.
Media, media what did you find?
Not much because we're so blind.
# posted by Norma : 6/02/2006 07:46:00 AM
