Dead Poetry Society or Where Has the Fun Gone
Mourning the passing of the Nonsense Rhyme.
What has happened to the good honest nonsense rhyme? Does no one create it any more?
At its height of popularity in Victorian times, but not so popular here in the 21st century, nonsense verse is created to amuse by using odd and non-existent words or ideas that are not totally logical.
The origins of this style of verse is unknown. It can certainly be traced back to folk songs, and nursery rhymes, “Hey Diddle Diddle.” being a prime example.
When well written, this genre can still raise a smile on the readers lips. How many of you who saw the Jim Carrey movie, ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ which was lifted directly from the pen of Dr Seuss, can say they sat through it without laughing?
Many nonsense rhymes have been elevated to the ranks of classical literature, so why is it a dying art?
Any writer who is considering composing a nonsense rhyme could do no better than to make the following works their required reading.
Edward Lear – ‘The Owl and the Pussy Cat.’ Who has never heard this when they were a child?
Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) – ‘Jabberwocky’ from ‘Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There.’ Rated as the greatest nonsense rhyme ever written.
Dr Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel) – ‘The Cat in the Hat’. I remember reading this to my young son over forty years ago.
Spike Milligan (Terence Alan Patrick Sean Milligan KBE), – ‘On the Ning Nang Nong’ from ‘Silly Verse for Kids.’ This was voted the UK’s favourite comic poem in 1998.
Other amusing verse forms that border on nonsense are:
The Clerihew
A Clerihew is an absurd, four-line poem in biographical form, usually about famous people, invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley.
For the benefit of any poets reading this, the lines are irregular in length, and the rhymes are structured AABB.
The first ever Clerihew written by E. C. Bentley was about chemist and inventor of the miners safety lamp, Sir Humphry Davy.
‘Sir Humphry Davy
Was not fond of gravy.
He lived in the odium
Of having discovered sodium.’
The Limerick
Often bawdy, this form is usually shunned by ’serious’ poets and literary critics.
One theory is that the Limerick got its name from the ribald songs sung in the inns and taverns in and around the city of Limerick in Ireland.
Again, for you poets, Limericks consist of five anapaestic lines.
Lines one, two, and five have seven to ten syllables and rhyme with one another.
Lines three and four have five to seven syllables which also rhyme with each other.
These rhymes are always structured AABBA.
Traditionally the first line of a Limerick introduces the reader to a person and a place, with the place name appearing at the end of the first line, for example, ‘There was a young lad from Kent,’
This example of the Limerick is taken from ‘A Book of Nonsense.’ by Edward Lear.
‘There was an Old Man of Kilkenny,
Who never had more than a penny;
He spent all that money,
In onions and honey,
That wayward Old Man of Kilkenny.’
From the giants of the nonsense rhyme to a mere tyro, namely yours truly. This came to my head recently whilst watching a TV documentary about country pursuits.
‘It must be pleasant,
To be a pheasant,
Flying in the sky.
But if they think you’re a partridge,
And then discharge a cartridge,
Bang! Bye-bye birdie, goodbye.’
This may not get the recognition of ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ but at least someone is trying to keep the tradition alive!
Liked it
Oh sounds like fun…maybe I should try writing some rhyming of that nature.
very nice article George!
Cheers!
I agree with you George. Might I add that “Jabberwocky” is an excellent poem. I love how he disguised our own words and phrases.
These simple little verses were an excellent learning toll for kids because they made the story that much more interesting and every kid would try to remember them. Great piece, George.
Forgive me for adding my favourite!
The time has come the walrus said,
To speak of many things,
Like shoes and ships and sealing wax
And cabbages and kings.
And why the sea is boiling hot
And whether pigs have wings!
Sorry, forgot to add:
From The Walrus and the Carpenter by Lewis Carroll
this is nice George
They nearly made a Shakespeare out of me,
I could not beyond my nose see,
Then something came to my mind,
I said presto if its creativity,
To hell with poetry,
Be it prosaic or prose,
A rose in poetry, as well as in prose,
Shall continue to stay as a rose
So I in gay abandon,
Created a style,
The rest is history u all know,
Now since along while.
Let me be,
What I am to compose,
Poems or write prose,
Let my silly mind garbage dispose,
Those who read me are welcome,
And those who don’t want to,
May delete my poems
(With sheer abandon
Let me be what ever,
I am poeter or proser,
A man or a woman,
Whatever it may be,
I shall continue to write,
My own he poetry,
That’s my birth right.
EXTEMPOOR- RARY
I absolutely agree with this, personally I feel that it could be dying out because people think that the nonsense type of rhyme is so bad that no one would like it.
I reckon sometimes writing nonsense can be good (well it keeps me entertained anyway. lol)
Why the what? like I said,
the pigeon that is dead.
Mince and tatties,
beans and ratties
what a lovely tea
surely you agree.
Oh what a lovely article, it named some of my favourites, but my absolute favourite from my childhood is Mr Nobody by Anon
I know a funny little man,
As quiet as a mouse,
Who does the mischief that is done
In everybody’s house!
a noble undertaking Alistair.. I agree, keep it alive for the entertainment for those like us that appreciates art in any form..
I 100% agree..art at every degree and angle I love it all!
As a child I had a giant book of nonsense rhymes, and learned some of Jabberwocky by heart – I can still remember the opening part.
My Dad taught me this bit of nonsense:
Spring has sprung, de grass is riz
I wonder where dem boidies is?
Dem little boids is on de wing.
Ain’t dat absoid! Dem little wings is on de boid!
I love the Walrus & the Carpenter I am a total Seuss addict. Let’s see:
I am the Seussite from nowhere
I never do much with my hair
I type all the morning
says you: “that is boring”
says I “I really don’t care.”
You’re right. We need more of this.
I quite often find more meaning in nonsense poems than serious poems!
You TOTALLY forgot to mention Shel Silverstein, a wonderful nonsense poet of the 20th century. Did your parents read “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and “Light in the Attic” and “Falling Up” to you? If they didn’t… read them yourself! They’re wonderful.
Yeah! Why not? Let’s have a lot of fun! It’s also a good exercise.
Excelent article
great
I did not know about the four line Clerihew…think I should give it a try.
great reminder of some of the highlights of verse
Very well written. So much about poetry that I lately knew of. Thanks for sharing.
Very interesting!