Poetry Friday: Simple Simon
September 01, 2006
Continuing last week's theme of English nursery rhymes included in Clifton Fadiman's The World Treasury of Children's Literature, I bring you the classic: Simple Simon. Everyone knows the beginning, of course, but are you familiar with the later verses?
Simple Simon met a pieman,
Going to the fair;
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
Let me taste your ware.
Says the pieman to Simple Simon,
Show me first your penny;
Says Simple Simon to the pieman,
Indeed I have not any.
Simple Simon went a-fishing,
For to catch a whale;
All the water he had got
Was in his mother's pail.
Simple Simon went to look
If plums grew on a thistle;
He pricked his fingers very much,
Which made poor Simon whistle.
He went for water in a sieve
But soon it all fell through;
And now poor Simple Simon
Bids you all adieu.
UPDATE: If you are looking for a round-up of other Poetry Friday entries for this week, I refer you to Kelly at Big A little a, who is completely on top of it.