Page 20 - eMuse Vol.9 No.11
P. 20
The Laughing Jackass
“Laughing Jack, Laughing Jack, Tell me I pray,
How to be happy, like you every day.”
“How to be happy like me ev’ry day?
Laugh at you troubles, and they’ll fly away.”
E. T. Luke, Australian Nature Studies and Nursery Rhymes (1921)
The Three Swagmen
As I was going down the road from Bourke to Gundagai, Sir,
I met three swagmen by the way who each had but one eye, Sir;
Two were dressed in dungarees, and one was clad in moleskins,
None of them had shaved or washed, and none of them had whole
skins .
When I said, “Pray tell me why you are so very youthless,”
Each man opened wide his mouth and it was black and toothless;
None of them could speak a word, and none of them could hear me,
So I went away again and nobody came near me.
Stephen Grey “Kangaroo Rhymes” (1922)
Some More Variations The Wallaby and the Bull-ant
The Wallaby sat on an Ironbark stump,
Budgeree, Budgeree, Bingy, —
On Nursery Rhymes Wondering how far he was able to jump,
Budgeree, Budgeree, Bingy.
The Bull-ant sat on the Wallaby’s tail,
Budgeree, Budgeree, Bingy, —
From “Twinkle Twinkle Southern Cross” And the Wallaby started off full sail,
compiled by Robert Holden. Above illustration from the cover. Budgeree, Budgeree, Bingy.
The Bull-ant’s face wore a satisfied smile,
Baby in the Hay Budgeree, Budgeree, Bingy, —
Baby, Baby in the hay — For the Wallaby found he could jump a mile,
Got his Daddy’s cap today. Budgeree, Budgeree, Bingy.
Baby’s proud as proud can be — The Professor & Alter Ego (Launcelot Harrison)
What a big brave man is he . “Tails and Tarradidles” (1925)
E. T. Luke, Australian Nature Studies and Nursery Rhymes (1921) The Fantail
How Many Miles Flit-a-
Flirt-a-
“How many Miles to Lilydale? Fantail —
O, wise old walking man; Flutter down the creek,
With your brown, brown face and tired eyes. Once his tail
And your stick and billy-can.” Is open,
Can’t shut it for a week;
“How many miles to Lilydale? All he has to sing about,
‘Tis many miles away; Just a little squeak;
Too many miles for little feet All he has for supper, just
To travel in one day .” A ‘squito in his beak;
“How many miles to Anywhere? Flit-a-
O, tell me, if you can.” Flirt-a-
“The road is long and the hills are far,” Fantail —
Said the wise old walking man. Flutter down the creek.
“Take me away to Anywhere, The Professor & Alter Ego (Launcelot Harrison)
O, wise old walking man.” “Tails and Ta rradidles” (1925)
But he shook his head as he walked away,
With his stick and billy-can. Editor’s Footnote:
These simple little poems are a great start point for getting kids
Stephen Grey “Kangaroo Rhymes” (1922) interested in poetry. Why not teach them to be said out loud?
Better still! Learn a few yourself to recite when tucking the kids into
bed at night.
20 eMuse November 2020
