Short Poems

There was an Old Person of Dover,
Who rushed through a field of blue Clover;
But some very large bees, stung his nose and his knees,
So he very soon went back to Dover.

There was an Old Person of Cromer,
Who stood on one leg to read Homer;
When he found he grew stiff, he jumped over the cliff,
Which concluded that Person of Cromer.

There was an Old Person of Brussels,
Who lived upon Brandy and Mussels;
When he rushed through the town, he knocked most people down,
Which distressed all the people of Brussels.

There was an Old Man with a gong,
Who bumped at it all the day long;
But they called out, " O law! you're a horrid old bore!"
So they smashed that Old Man with a gong.

There was an Old Man who supposed,
That the street door was partially closed;
But some very large rats, ate his coats and his hats,
While that futile old gentleman dozed.

There was an Old Man who said, "Hush!
I perceive a young bird in this bush!'
When they said, "Is it small?'
He replied, "Not at all!
It is four times as big as the bush!'

There was an old man who said, " How
Shall I flee from this horrible cow?
I will sit on this stile,
And continue to smile,
Which may soften the heart of that cow."

There was an Old Man of West Dumpet,
Who possessed a large nose like a trumpet;
When he blew it aloud, it astonished the crowd,
And was heard through the whole of West Dumpet.

There was an Old Man of Three Bridges,
Whose mind was distracted by midges;
He sate on a wheel, eating underdone veal,
Which relieved that Old Man of Three Bridges.

There was an Old Man of the West,
Who wore a pale plum-coloured vest;
When they said, " Does it fit?" he replied, " Not a bit!"
That uneasy Old Man of the West.