My Nana's Lost Her Marbles

My Nana's lost her marbles.
I don't know where they went.
She seems to think it's all my fault,
But I don't know what she meant

I looked behind my fortress,

And underneath the books,

Next to the blocks and puzzles
And on my towel hook.

They weren't inside the bathtub,
Or floating in the sink.







I didn't see them anywhere
I don't know what to think.



I checked inside the toybox.
I looked out on the deck.
I even looked in Nana's room
(It really was a wreck)!











I told her I was sorry
But I couldn't help her out,
Cause if she didn't put her toys away
She'd have to do without!

My Nana's Lost Her Marbles

My Nana's lost her marbles.
I don't know where they went.
She seems to think it's all my fault,
But I don't know what she meant

I looked behind my fortress,

And underneath the books,

Next to the blocks and puzzles
And on my towel hook.

They weren't inside the bathtub,
Or floating in the sink.







I didn't see them anywhere
I don't know what to think.



I checked inside the toybox.
I looked out on the deck.
I even looked in Nana's room
(It really was a wreck)!











I told her I was sorry
But I couldn't help her out,
Cause if she didn't put her toys away
She'd have to do without!

World Alzheimer's Day

So, in case you forgot, today was world Alzheimer's day.

OK, so that could be considered in bad taste, but in the words of Larry the Cable Guy, "Now that there's funny, I don't care who you are".
Honestly, though, I have cared for many people with this terrible disease, and there is nothing funny about it, and I truly feel for those who have to deal with it on a daily basis.  There is something that is just so "not right" about losing your mental capacity while your physical body is still going strong and I commend and support all of those people fighting to find either treatment or a cure.  God bless you all.
However, having worked in the medical profession, I also know that we often use humor to lighten the burden of the constant barrage of stress, pain, and grief that we see all the time, so cut me a little bit of slack here and I'll tell you why this has anything to do with nonsense poems.
I come from a family of jokers and story tellers, although I am amazed that my Mom and Dad can't figure out where I get my imagination from.  Helloooo!  Dad was always making up funny rhymes and sayings, and Mom still sings songs that make absolutely no sense, but the kids all love them.  So in answer to your question Mom and Dad, I get it from YOU!
The segue into the poetry link comes from the memory of a day a few months ago when I was at my folks house sitting in the hot tub with my Mom and two neices, and decided to recite a few nonsense poems like "the flea and the fly in the flue", "Jabberwocky", and finally, a little ditty by William Hughes Mearns called "Antigonish".

With all credit to Hughes Mearns, the popular poem starts out something like this:

As I was walking up the stair
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away!

Well, forget the little girls, my Mom latched onto this poem and for the next day I had to keep repeating it so she could try to remember it.  As we were doing this, we had the bright idea that she should recite the poem to people at church the next day like she was actually trying to tell them a serious story just to see what their reaction would be.

Apparently, the reactions ranged from acute confusion to an embarrassed pitying response such as "Oh, that's too bad Claudia.  He really wasn't there again today?"  I'm sure that the whispered talk around the coffee and danish that morning was something to the effect  of a hushed "did Claudia tell you about the man who wasn't there?  I do think she is starting to lose her memory, it's so sad...."  *cue sad faces, as people look at the floor and shake their heads slowly*

So, as I see it, being able to recite a nonsense poem or use a nonsense word right off the cuff without preamble or explanation is a highly valuable skill, essential to ferrett out those who really aren't listening anyway and to whom you have an overwhelming desire to flummox.  And yes, flummox is a real word and a pretty cool one at that, so your assignment for today is to use it in a sentence during the course of normal conversation, just to see what people do!

Such a brillig day it was today, my friend Kathy and I gyred and gimbled at Jazz on the Beach, then galumphed over to Lou's and gyred some more.  Although I was quite scurvish and
broff to begin with, eventually I was able to stimp around the floor quite splurgully, and we left feeling pretty good.

Pick a word and try it out over the weekend and leave me a comment to tell me your word and how it went!

World Alzheimer's Day

So, in case you forgot, today was world Alzheimer's day.

OK, so that could be considered in bad taste, but in the words of Larry the Cable Guy, "Now that there's funny, I don't care who you are".
Honestly, though, I have cared for many people with this terrible disease, and there is nothing funny about it, and I truly feel for those who have to deal with it on a daily basis.  There is something that is just so "not right" about losing your mental capacity while your physical body is still going strong and I commend and support all of those people fighting to find either treatment or a cure.  God bless you all.
However, having worked in the medical profession, I also know that we often use humor to lighten the burden of the constant barrage of stress, pain, and grief that we see all the time, so cut me a little bit of slack here and I'll tell you why this has anything to do with nonsense poems.
I come from a family of jokers and story tellers, although I am amazed that my Mom and Dad can't figure out where I get my imagination from.  Helloooo!  Dad was always making up funny rhymes and sayings, and Mom still sings songs that make absolutely no sense, but the kids all love them.  So in answer to your question Mom and Dad, I get it from YOU!
The segue into the poetry link comes from the memory of a day a few months ago when I was at my folks house sitting in the hot tub with my Mom and two neices, and decided to recite a few nonsense poems like "the flea and the fly in the flue", "Jabberwocky", and finally, a little ditty by William Hughes Mearns called "Antigonish".

With all credit to Hughes Mearns, the popular poem starts out something like this:

As I was walking up the stair
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away!

Well, forget the little girls, my Mom latched onto this poem and for the next day I had to keep repeating it so she could try to remember it.  As we were doing this, we had the bright idea that she should recite the poem to people at church the next day like she was actually trying to tell them a serious story just to see what their reaction would be.

Apparently, the reactions ranged from acute confusion to an embarrassed pitying response such as "Oh, that's too bad Claudia.  He really wasn't there again today?"  I'm sure that the whispered talk around the coffee and danish that morning was something to the effect  of a hushed "did Claudia tell you about the man who wasn't there?  I do think she is starting to lose her memory, it's so sad...."  *cue sad faces, as people look at the floor and shake their heads slowly*

So, as I see it, being able to recite a nonsense poem or use a nonsense word right off the cuff without preamble or explanation is a highly valuable skill, essential to ferrett out those who really aren't listening anyway and to whom you have an overwhelming desire to flummox.  And yes, flummox is a real word and a pretty cool one at that, so your assignment for today is to use it in a sentence during the course of normal conversation, just to see what people do!

Such a brillig day it was today, my friend Kathy and I gyred and gimbled at Jazz on the Beach, then galumphed over to Lou's and gyred some more.  Although I was quite scurvish and
broff to begin with, eventually I was able to stimp around the floor quite splurgully, and we left feeling pretty good.

Pick a word and try it out over the weekend and leave me a comment to tell me your word and how it went!

Ken Nesbitt, A Reading Nana's Dream!

I was reading nonsense poems to Evie the other day, and came upon this wonderful site by Ken Nesbitt. His work is outstanding and is what inspired me to start writing down all the silly things I say to Evie all day. Kids love anything that rhymes, and Ken even recites some of his best work. Well, I guess I'm assuming it is he who is reciting, but whoever it is, their voice is engaging.

Evie was enthralled and we had to keep playing it over and over. In fact, when I tried to read it to her myself, she said, "No Nana, NO!" She wanted to hear HIM say it.
Ah well, I can still recite Jabberwocky by heart, and she's beginning to say parts of it along with me, her favorite new saying being "Snicker Snack"!

Grab a child or grandchild and a comfortable chair, click on the link, and ENJOY!

Click on the link for tons of poetry fun, including games, contests, discussion forums, and, of course, lots of funny poems!

Ken Nesbitt, A Reading Nana's Dream!

I was reading nonsense poems to Evie the other day, and came upon this wonderful site by Ken Nesbitt. His work is outstanding and is what inspired me to start writing down all the silly things I say to Evie all day. Kids love anything that rhymes, and Ken even recites some of his best work. Well, I guess I'm assuming it is he who is reciting, but whoever it is, their voice is engaging.

Evie was enthralled and we had to keep playing it over and over. In fact, when I tried to read it to her myself, she said, "No Nana, NO!" She wanted to hear HIM say it.
Ah well, I can still recite Jabberwocky by heart, and she's beginning to say parts of it along with me, her favorite new saying being "Snicker Snack"!

Grab a child or grandchild and a comfortable chair, click on the link, and ENJOY!

Click on the link for tons of poetry fun, including games, contests, discussion forums, and, of course, lots of funny poems!

Uncle Mike

Uncle Mike has a cool tattoo
A big bald head
And a goatee too.

Big as a giant
And strong as an ox
He can pick me up like sugar pops.

He's funny and silly
And bought me some juice
And a donut at dunkin'
And gave me a boost.

I like Uncle Mike
And you'd like him too.
With his bald head and goatee
And awesome tattoo.