Saturday 17 March 2007

Only down the Fulham Road


"Will you walk a little faster?” said a whiting to a snail.
There's a porpoise close behind us, and he's treading on my tail.
See how eagerly the lobsters and the turtles all advance!
They are waiting on the shingle – will you come and join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?

You can really have no notion how delightful it will be
When they take us up and throw us, with the lobsters, out to sea!
But the snail replied “Too far, too far!” and gave a look askance –
Said he thanked the whiting kindly, but he would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, would not join the dance.
Would not, could not, would not, could not, could not join the dance.

What matters it how far we go?” his scaly friend replied.
There is another shore, you know, upon the other side.
The further off from England the nearer is to France –
Then turn not pale, beloved snail, but come and join the dance.
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance?
Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, won't you join the dance?

6 comments:

A wildlife gardener said...

The lobster's quadrille, by Edward Lear, springs to moind...

martin said...

wildlife gardener, I can't say I know that, but I will google it right now. I like Mr Lear.

A wildlife gardener said...

Thanks, Martin! I loved reading that poem again.

y.Wendy.y said...

Oh how spiffy and perky...love that poem. Takes me back a long time.

Could do with a bit of lobster - ooh yummy.

Z said...

Lewis Carroll, surely?

When Alice in Wonderland was put on for my school play, I was a winsome little girl with long blonde hair. The casting was obvious.

Yep, I played the Walrus.

Rog said...

I used to like "Can you Dig it?" by the Mock Turtles.

I will be checking back to Sea View Cottage for news of Mozart 3. Perhaps you should use K numbers?