Two Nonsense Poems to Make you Chuckle E:201
Two nonsense poems by Edward Lear about two very odd couples – an owl and a pussy cat and a duck and a kangaroo. (duration 8 minutes) An episode from Journey with Story, a storytelling podcast for kids ages 3-10.
If you would like to enjoy our weekly coloring sheets and other perks, subscribe to our patreon page here
If your little listener wants to ask us a question or send us a drawing inspired by one of our episodes, send it to us at instagram@journeywithstory. Or you can contact us at www.journeywithstory.com. We love to hear from our listeners.
If you enjoy our podcast, you can rate, review, and subscribe at here
Did you know Kathleen is also a children’s picture book author, you can find out more about her books at www.kathleenpelley.com
Two Nonsense Poems by Edward Lear
The Owl and the Pussy Cat
The Duck and the Kangaroo
Episode 201
October 13,2022
Have you ever come across a pair of friends who were just completely different from one another? So different, that people might describe them as an odd couple?
Hello everyone. I’m Kathleen Pelley. Welcome to Journey with Story. Today, I am going to be sharing TWO nonsense poems by that master of nonsense, Edward Lear, about TWO very odd couples indeed – the first is about an owl and a cat and the second is about a duck and a kangaroo.
Before I begin – huge thanks to all of our patreon subscribers who are enjoying their weekly coloring sheets – we really appreciate your support. Remember, you can become a patreon subscriber today and start enjoying some weekly coloring sheets if you go to www.journeywithstory.com
Now let’s take a journey with The Owl and The Pussy Cat and The Duck and the Kangaroo
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money,
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
“O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!”
Pussy said to the Owl, “You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!
O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?”
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-Tree grows
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.
“Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?” Said the Piggy, “I will.”
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
THE DUCK AND THE KANGAROO.
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo,
“Good gracious! how you hop Over the fields, and the water too,
As if you never would stop! My life is a bore in this nasty pond;
And I long to go out in the world beyond:
I wish I could hop like you,” Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
“Please give me a ride on your back,”
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo: “I would sit quite still, and say nothing but ‘Quack’
The whole of the long day through; And we ‘d go the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee,
Over the land, and over the sea:
Please take me a ride! oh, do!” Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
Said the Kangaroo to the Duck,
“This requires some little reflection. Perhaps, on the whole, it might bring me luck;
And there seems but one objection; Which is, if you’ll let me speak so bold,
Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo- Matiz,” said the Kangaroo.
Said the Duck, “As I sate on the rocks,
I have thought over that completely; And I bought four pairs of worsted socks,
Which fit my web-feet neatly; And, to keep out the cold, I’ve bought a cloak;
And every day a cigar I’ll smoke;
All to follow my own dear true Love of a Kangaroo.”
Said the Kangaroo, “I’m ready,
All in the moonlight pale; But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit steady,
And quite at the end of my tail.”
So away they went with a hop and a bound;
And they hopped the whole world three times round.
And who so happy, oh! who, As the Duck and the Kangaroo?
These are both fun poems to say aloud – lots of lovely sounding words like the Bee and the Jelly Bo Lee and what about that word runcible in the owl and the pussy cat – do you know what it means? Absolutely nothing – it is a made up word – but fun to think about what it might mean to you.
And these poems would be great for you to recite aloud – maybe even memorize a verse or two.
It might get you thinking about making up your own poem about an odd couple – and remember to send us your drawings on IG at journey with story or at our website www.journeywithstory.com
Cheerio then, join me next time for Journey with Story.
