When We Were Very Young (7 page)

Jonathan Jo

Has a mouth like an “O”

But this is what makes him so funny:

If you give him a smile,

Only once in a while,

Then he never expects any money!

At the Zoo

There are lions and roaring tigers, and enormous camels and things,

There are biffalo-buffalo-bisons, and a great big bear with wings,

There’s a sort of a tiny potamus, and a tiny nosserus too—

But
I
gave buns to the elephant when
I
went down to the Zoo!

There are badgers and bidgers and bodgers, and a Superintendent’s House,

There are masses of goats, and a Polar, and different kinds of mouse,

And I think there’s a sort of a something which is called a wallaboo—

But
I
gave buns to the elephant when
I
went down to the Zoo!

If you try to talk to the bison, he never quite understands;

You can’t shake hands with a mingo—he doesn’t like shaking hands.

And lions and roaring tigers
hate
saying, “How do you do?”—

But
I
give buns to the elephant when I go down to the Zoo!

Rice Pudding

What
is the matter with Mary Jane?

She’s crying with all her might and main,

And she won’t eat her dinner—rice pudding again—

What
is
the matter with Mary Jane?

What
is the matter with Mary Jane?

I’ve promised her dolls and a daisy-chain,

And a book about animals—all in vain—

What
is
the matter with Mary Jane?

What
is the matter with Mary Jane?

She’s perfectly well, and she hasn’t a pain;

But, look at her, now she’s beginning again!—

What
is
the matter with Mary Jane?

What
is the matter with Mary Jane?

I’ve promised her sweets and a ride in the train,

And I’ve begged her to stop for a bit and explain—

What
is
the matter with Mary Jane?

What
is the matter with Mary Jane?

She’s perfectly well, and she hasn’t a pain,

And it’s lovely rice pudding for dinner again!—

What
is
the matter with Mary Jane?

Missing

Has anybody seen my mouse?

I opened his box for half a minute,

Just to make sure he was really in it,

And while I was looking, he jumped outside!

I tried to catch him, I tried, I tried….

I think he’s somewhere about the house.

Has
anyone
seen my mouse?

Uncle John, have you seen my mouse?