My favorite poem was The Owl and Pussy Cat by Edward Lear. I was fascinated by the strange, mis-matched couple setting out on a voyage with a little money. Precarious craft seem yo be a theme close to Lear's heart: The Jumblies wet to sea in a sieve. What a wonderfully reckless thing to do - must have been like a white-knuckle ride. Oh I know that their heads were green and their hands were blue but surely that is no prerequisite to idiocy. I have friends with brightly coloured hair who would never take such risks.
One of the pleasures of being the parent of two young children was passing on my love of literature to formative minds. My son was no great reader: It just didn't take despite my best effort and futile attempts at bribery. My daughter was far more receptive. We would share a bath each evening and as I washed her hair, I would teach her a few lines of The Owl and The Pussy Cat. Finally she was competent enough to recite the poem in it's entirety. When she finished , I praise and applauded, then she turned to me and stated "But Mummy, pee isn't green!" I couldn't knock her for not realising the nuances of a homonym.
Of course, Lewis Carroll's stories are peppered with nonsense rhyme. Who could forget The Walrus and the Carpenter. Even TS Elliot employed the nonsense genre in his wonderful Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats. Remember Magical Mr Mistopheles, Rum Tum Tugger and McCafferty - incredible character and fuel for a growing child's vivid imagination.
Like I said, I have always loved nonsense poetry. Now where on earth did I put the Quangle -Wangles Hat?
Edward Lear was also a prolific writer of limericks, here is my tribute.
Nonsense Limerick
Mabel the witch of Montrose,
had a terrible itch on nose.
When she started to scratch it,
it set off her magic
and transformed it into a rose.
Thanks for reading. Stay safe. Adele
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