Welcome back to the odd and whimsical poetery of the Peeps related to holidaze! Sorry to sick out on you last week, Peepers, but I’m back in full saddle! So let’s investigate what today is, because we need all the holidaze we can celebrate, right?
Lately, every day seems to be many holidays! Which is good, because we all have our favorites. So I will pick out one, and you can click the link above if you’re curious about the rest. This is an Open Thread, so please feel free to add your favorite pomes and photoes and holidaze for today in the Comments!
Today is National Bad Poetry Day
How can we resist?
This day is dedicated to bad poetry. Poetry has been around for millennia, dating back to the Sumerian's Epic of Gilgamesh. Poetry "uses aesthetic and rhythmic qualities of language", and its meanings go beyond the prosaic writing. There are many forms of poetry, such as sonnets, limericks, and haikus, and there are many genres of poetry such as narrative, epic, and lyric. When it comes to bad poetry, perhaps William Topaz McGonagall tops the list.
Epic of Gilgamesh
by The Sumerians
Siduri's Advice (click the link for moar pome!)
'Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying?
Nobody hurries better!
You will not find that life that you pursue.
When the gods created mankind,
They allotted to him death,
But life they retained in their own keeping.
As for you, Gilgamesh, fill your belly with good things,
Maybe somewhat fewer good things
Make thou merry by day and by night.
Of each day make thou a feast of rejoicing,
Day and night dance and play!
Makin merry! Woot woot!
Let your clothing be sparkling fresh,
Thy head be washed; bathe thou in water.
Love the child that holds on to thy hand,
Make your wife happy in your embrace!
For this is the lot of mankind!
Bathin!
[No one is sure who wrote the Epic of Gilgamesh, although most believe there are several writers. One possibility is Sin-Leqi-Unninni, although he is probably more of an editor.]
by William Topaz McGonagall
(his best known pome, or so they say)
Trigger Warning: It’s a little sad!
Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.
’Twas about seven o’clock at night,
And the wind it blew with all its might,
And the rain came pouring down,
And the dark clouds seem’d to frown,
And the Demon of the air seem’d to say-
“I’ll blow down the Bridge of Tay.”
When the train left Edinburgh
The passengers’ hearts were light and felt no sorrow,
But Boreas blew a terrific gale,
Which made their hearts for to quail,
And many of the passengers with fear did say-
“I hope God will send us safe across the Bridge of Tay.”
But when the train came near to Wormit Bay,
Boreas he did loud and angry bray,
And shook the central girders of the Bridge of Tay
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.
So the train sped on with all its might,
And Bonnie Dundee soon hove in sight,
And the passengers’ hearts felt light,
Thinking they would enjoy themselves on the New Year,
With their friends at home they lov’d most dear,
And wish them all a happy New Year.
So the train mov’d slowly along the Bridge of Tay,
Until it was about midway,
Then the central girders with a crash gave way,
And down went the train and passengers into the Tay!
The Storm Fiend did loudly bray,
Because ninety lives had been taken away,
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.
As soon as the catastrophe came to be known
The alarm from mouth to mouth was blown,
And the cry rang out all o’er the town,
Good Heavens! the Tay Bridge is blown down,
And a passenger train from Edinburgh,
Which fill’d all the peoples hearts with sorrow,
And made them for to turn pale,
Because none of the passengers were sav’d to tell the tale
How the disaster happen’d on the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.
It must have been an awful sight,
To witness in the dusky moonlight,
While the Storm Fiend did laugh, and angry did bray,
Along the Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay,
Oh! ill-fated Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay,
I must now conclude my lay
By telling the world fearlessly without the least dismay,
That your central girders would not have given way,
At least many sensible men do say,
Had they been supported on each side with buttresses,
At least many sensible men confesses,
For the stronger we our houses do build,
The less chance we have of being killed.
This train had better be safe!!
[William Topaz McGonagall, poet and tragedian of Dundee, has been widely hailed as the writer of the worst poetry in the English language. A self-educated hand loom weaver of Irish descent, he discovered his discordant muse in 1877 and embarked upon a 25 year career as a working poet, delighting and appalling audiences across Scotland and beyond.
His audiences threw rotten fish at him, the authorities banned his performances, and he died a pauper over a century ago. But his books remain in print to this day, and he’s remembered and quoted long after more talented contemporaries have been forgotten. Serves them right. His odd autobiography is here!]
Please to remember that Pootie Diaries post twice a day!
The regular Pootie Diaries post daily at 1:45 pm Eastern (on Sundays at 3 pm Eastern)
and the evening Open Thread Pootie Diaries post at 10 pm Eastern
Please to show ‘em both some lubs!
In Loving Memory of Swampyankee:
Grab the kitteh belleh!
In Loving Memory of Jan4Insight:
Roadrunner! Beep beep!
And almost finally, please note da roolz:
PWBPeeps is a group that posts a daily diary and nightly open thread for animal lovers. We share photos, seek & give advice about pet health and behavior issues, support each other in times of sadness and stress, celebrate together when times are good, and on most days have an inordinate amount of fun.
Tricia, we’ll always miss ya!
You are welcome to join us!
Here are a few not-too-onerous PWB rulez
Violate ‘em and we’ll say that you drulez
- Do not “Troll” the Pootie Peeps Diaries. If you don’t like animal diaries, there’s no need to tell us about it. Just go find some other diary more to your liking.
- Whatever happens in the outer blog STAYS in the outer blog. As in, no pie fights. This is a place to relax and play; please treat it accordingly.
- If you would like a pic from the comment threads, please ask the poster. He/she may have a copyright to those pics. Many thanks!
- There are some pics we never post: Snakes, creepy crawlies, any and all photos that depict or encourage human cruelty toward animals. These are considered “out of bounds” and will not be tolerated.
- If you’re not sure about an issue...please ask. Someone is always glad to help.
For those who missed our Earth Day special, Climate Change helpful hints from the aminals are here!
If you are looking for our illustrated poetery, we will keep here da list!:
Srs Ogden Nash (and Other) Poetry for December 31, New Year’s Eve, Illustrated! (At the end of which is the list of all our illustrated Ogden Nashes.)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for January 7, Illustrated! (Marge Piercy, Twisted Sister)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for January 14, Illustrated! (Ogden Nash, Francesco Marciuliano)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for January 21, Illustrated! (Shel Silverstein, Muhammed Iqbal, Elena Carlena)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for January 28, Illustrated! (Rita Dove, Anonymous, KoalasofNYC)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for February 11, Illustrated! (Neil Hilborn, Jeannine Atkins)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for March 3, Illustrated! (Poemasabi)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for March 31, Illustrated! (Rebekah Bastian, traditional song)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for April 7, Illustrated! (G.K. Chesteron, Faith Shearin)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for April 14, Illustrated! (David Bowie, Robert Lowell)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for April 21, Illustrated! (I Am Your Dog by Author Unknown)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for April 28, Illustrated! (Francesco Marciuliano again!)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for May 5, Illustrated! (Elena Carlena cartoons, Venessa Medina-Rosas)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for May 12, Illustrated! (nelpogrando)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for May 19, Illustrated! (Edward Monkton, Giles Andreae)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for May 26, Illustrated! (Lesbia Harford)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for June 2, Illustrated! (Sienna Luna)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for June 9, Illustrated! (Christopher “Kit” Smart)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for June 16, Illustrated! (Russell Edson)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for June 30, Illustrated! (Rosa Silva’s cat)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for July 7, Illustrated! (Mark J. Halliday)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for July 14, Illustrated! (Vivian Shipley)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for July 21, Illustrated! (Sawyer Sewell, David F)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for July 28, Illustrated! (Carma Reed)
Srs Not-Srs Poetry for August 11, Illustrated! (Bob Raczka)
This is an open thread! Please chat away in the Comments. Enjoy!
PLEASE NOTE: Your humble diarist is NR, so consider yourselves +1 as long as you behave! ;-)
