Ted Hughes

Oh, once I was a policeman young and merry

(young and merry),

Controlling crowds and fighting petty crime (petty crime),

But now I work on matters literary (litererry)

And I am growing old before my time (’fore my time).

No, the imagination of a writer (of a writer)

Is not the sort of beat a chap would choose

(chap would choose)

And they’ve assigned me a prolific blighter (’lific blighter) –

I’m patrolling the unconscious of Ted Hughes.

It’s not the sort of beat a chap would choose

(chap would choose) –

Patrolling the unconscious of Ted Hughes.

All our leave was cancelled in the lambing season

(lambing season),

When bitter winter froze the drinking trough

(drinking trough),

For our commander stated, with good reason

(with good reason),

That that’s the kind of thing that starts him off

(starts him off).

But anything with four legs causes trouble

(causes trouble) –

It’s worse than organizing several zoos (several zoos),

Not to mention mythic creatures in the rubble

(in the rubble),

Patrolling the unconscious of Ted Hughes.

It’s worse than organizing several zoos (several zoos),

Patrolling the unconscious of Ted Hughes.

Although it’s disagreeable and stressful

(bull and stressful)

Attempting to avert poetic thought (’etic thought),

I could boast of times when I have been successful

(been successful)

And conspiring compound epithets were caught

(’thets were caught).

But the poetry statistics in this sector (in this sector)

Are enough to make a copper turn to booze

(turn to booze)

And I do not think I’ll make it to inspector (to inspector)

Patrolling the unconscious of Ted Hughes.

It’s enough to make a copper turn to booze

(turn to booze) –

Patrolling the unconscious of Ted Hughes.

after W. S. Gilbert

Reading Scheme

Here is Peter. Here is Jane. They like fun.

Jane has a big doll. Peter has a ball.

Look, Jane, look! Look at the dog! See him run!

Here is Mummy. She has baked a bun.

Here is the milkman. He has come to call.

Here is Peter. Here is Jane. They like fun.

Go Peter! Go Jane! Come, milkman, come!

The milkman likes Mummy. She likes them all.

Look, Jane, look! Look at the dog! See him run!

Here are the curtains. They shut out the sun.

Let us peep! On tiptoe Jane! You are small!

Here is Peter. Here is Jane. They like fun.

I hear a car, Jane. The milkman looks glum.

Here is Daddy in his car. Daddy is tall.

Look, Jane, look! Look at the dog! See him run!

Daddy looks very cross. Has he a gun?

Up milkman! Up milkman! Over the wall!

Here is Peter. Here is Jane. They like fun.

Look, Jane, look! Look at the dog! See him run!

A Nursery Rhyme

as it might have been written by William Wordsworth

The skylark and the jay sang loud and long,

The sun was calm and bright, the air was sweet,

When all at once I heard above the throng