A poem from my childhood

This poem used to be on my wall as a child, and was probably one of the first poems I loved. As such, I can still remember all the words. It is unfortunate that some of the words, formerly completely innocent, have taken on alternative meanings with modern language, as it is a lovely old poem from the 19th century.

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat, by Edward Lear

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 wonderful Pussy you are
You are,
What a wonderful 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,
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,
The danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.


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