14th
Another Valentine's Day Poem Collected And Shared By Tony Johansen
THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT
The Owl and the Pussycat 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.
- Edward Lear
Published in 1871, The Owl And The Pussycat is the most famous work by Edward Lear. It has inspired other artists ever since. Stravinski, for example, set it to music and it was the inspiration for a Monty Python book. The poem is about impossible love and is autobiographical as Lear loved a certain woman yet could never find the courage to tell her or to propose to her. He should have sent a Valentine.
In case anyone is wondering what a runcible spoon is, unfortunately no one knows. Lear made the word up and never told anyone what he meant. Well, it sounds good anyway.
Thanks to Ruth.