Poetry Performed Episode 027 - Book of Nonsense, 1, 10, & 12 by Edward Lear

Happy April Fools Day, everyone. Today, we’re going to celebrate with a few selections from Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense.

April Fools Day marks the six months of “Poetry Performed” I want to take a moment to thank you for listening to the show, and invite you to check out our new site for show notes and more poemsandshorts.blogspot.com. There you can read the text of all the poems, learn more about me and some of my other work, as well as submit your poem for future consideration. We’re working on a few other new features as well, so be sure and check out the site.

In addition to checking out our site, I’d also ask that you rate and review the show wherever you’re finding this weekly dose of poetry. And don’t forget to tell your poetry loving friends. Now, on with this weeks poem.

Book of Nonsense, 1, 10, & 12 by Edward Lear

1.
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, “It is just as I feared!--
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!”

10.
There was an Old Man in a tree,
Who was horribly bored by a Bee;
When they said, “Does it buzz?”
He replied, “Yes, it does!
“It’s a regular brute of a Bee!”

12.
There was a Young Lady whose chin,
Resembled the point of a pin:
So she had it made sharp,
And purchased a harp,
And played several tunes with her chin.

Never one to shy away from a joke, Edward Lear’s body of work is marked by his immense wit. The British poet and painter was born to debtor of a father, which forced Lear to begin earning a living at an early age. By the age of 20 he had been invited by the London Zoological Society to create illustrations of birds, but it wouldn’t be until the age of 34 that he would publish his first book of poetry. Throughout his life he was able to travel the world, and his travel journals were widely recognized during his life. Now, we primarily know him as the inventor of the limerick. He died in 1888.

Theme music provided by David Hilowitz.