Tag: Covid 19 poems

Should We Ease The Lockdown In Hundred Acre Wood?

Should we ease the lockdown

in hundred acre wood?

Tigger is excited,

he really thinks we should.

 

Eeyore thinks it won’t end well;

he’s pessimistic gloomy

but doesn’t think they’re listening

‘Just go on, ignore me.’

 

Pooh thinks that they kind of should

But then again they shouldn’t.

In a certain kind of way

he’s really undecided.

 

Piglet thinks he kind of

quite agrees with Pooh

he’s sure Christopher Robin

will know what’s right to do.

 

Kanga says that easing up

needn’t be too dreadful

she and Roo will still be safe

if they’re really careful.

 

Owl who’s very, very wise

says listen to the science

it’s really quite a good idea

or maybe not on balance.

 

Tigger thinks it’s quite ok

they will control the virus.

Eeyore says it’s really not

he heard it on the wireless.

 

Owl thinks it’s important

to weigh up all the factors

Pooh and Piglet sort of think

they’ll wait and see what happens.

Bah, Bah Bad Sheep

Bah, bah bad sheep

seems you broke the rule!

One rule for other folk

a different one for you.

 

A rule for the master,

a rule for the dame,

another for the little man

who lives down the lane.

 

Rules are made for bending

use your common sense

but if ‘‘twas you

that made the rule

it’s best the rule is kept.

 

Bah, Bah Bad Sheep

You should keep the rules

What you ask of other folk

You should do too.

 

 

Georgie Porgie gets too close

Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie

gets too close to passers by

forgets his social distancing

doesn’t do the proper thing.

 

Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie

gets too close and makes girls cry

He breaches that two metre rule.

Isn’t very far at all.

 

Georgie Porgie Pudding and Pie

breaks the rules when he’s outside.

just when people think they’re safe

Georgie Porgie’s by their side.

 

Don’t be like him play it safe

Georgie Porgie is a knave

When the boys come out to play

Georgie Porgie runs away.

Jack in his corner

 

Little Jack Horner

sits in the corner

scanning his iPad screen.

He taps with his thumb

has a zoom with his chums

and thinks

‘How lucky am I?’

 

He hasn’t been out

just messing about

playing his favourite games.

He doesn’t miss school

thinks lockdown is cool

And laughs, ‘How lucky am I?’

 

Little Jack Horner

sits in the corner

gorging another pie

he puts in his thumb

pulls out a plum

and thinks

‘What a great life have I.’

 

Little Jack Horner

sprawled in that corner

doesn’t want lockdown to end.

 

Mary, Mary

Mary, Mary quite contrary

Why do you have to go?

All the others are staying in

Everyone but you.

 

 

Mary, Mary quite contrary

Where is there left to go?

With restaurants closed

and shops as well

Where will you have to go?

 

 

Mary, Mary quite contrary

Stay watch your garden grow

There’s silver bells

And cockle shells

And pretty maids all in a row.

 

Mary, Mary quite contrary

Why did we not know?

There’s work to do

You have to go

You’re a key worker you.

 

Mary, Mary quite contrary

working in a shop

while your neighbours

In their gardens

moan about their lot.

In case you missed it…..

In case you missed it this is a round up of how Coronavirus and the lockdown has affected characters from nursery rhymes and well known stories.

To begin at the beginning Adam and Eve are fed up being locked down in the Garden of Eden and have complained to God. Eve is desperate to go shopping and the Snake has told her he doesn’t see why she shouldn’t. God’s not so sure though, He thinks Creation is getting on just fine without them. More about this in Adam’s Locked in Eden.

Rapunzel hasn’t seen her hairdresser in weeks and is wearing her hair even longer than she usually does. She was valuing the peace and quiet but the Princes have all been furloughed and one of them, with time on his hands, has been badgering her to let her hair down. He doesn’t think this should be a problem as her hair’s well over 2 metres long but she’s not so sure.

Meanwhile Lucy and the others thought they could skip lockdown rules if they went out through the wardrobe but lockdown is just as strict in Narnia where the Evil Queen is offering Turkish Delight as a spurious antidote. As for Aslan he’s been in the frontline of dealing with the virus, unfortunately without PPE. Sad to say he paid the price but they are clapping madly for him and hope that will bring him back.

Jack and Jill were both taken ill. Jack got it first and Jill came tumbling after. Fortunately they both recovered but are keen to promote the message we should wash our hands, stay at home and not end up as data.

Old Mother Hubbard is thankfully well but was disconcerted to find her cupboards bare, necessitating a shopping expedition. She couldn’t get an online slot so had to go to the shops in person. She found social distancing and the man in the mask who helped her at the checkout somewhat disconcerting but has thankfully restored her cupboards to bursting point. She’s even flush with toilet paper apparently.

The Old Woman in a shoe, who has so many children she doesn’t know what to do, has been hard hit as you’d expect. The children are restless, bored and on top of each other and her partner who has been furloughed and is also at home has been no help whatsoever.

In Banbury Cross the fine lady who rode a white horse has slipped out of the limelight and all the talk is about a fine lady in a white coat who is less accustomed to rings on her fingers and bells on her toes than to plastic gloves and a surgical mask.

Wee Willie Winkie has been running round town making sure everyone is safely locked down. He didn’t used to run but, as it’s encouraged by the guidance and everyone else seems to be doing it, he’s taken it up. He sucks his teeth and tuts at people who break or bend the rules but doesn’t think he might be one of them.

Banbury Cross

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross

to see a fine lady who wears a white coat.

With gloves on her fingers and mask on her nose

hope they’ll protect her wherever she goes.

 

Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross

to meet with a doctor who’ll do as she must

No rings on her fingers or bells on her toes

But lives in her hands and a difficult task.

 

No pouting, no posing, celebrity fans;

anonymous doctor in surgical gown.

No twitter or Facebook or instagram fun

just wards full of patients with a tough job to do.

So who will we value when all this is through?

Will celebrity matter? I’m not sure. Are you?

 

 

 

 

Lockdown in a shoe

Lockdown is tough

if you live in a shoe

with this many children

and nothing to do.

 

 

Kiss them and feed them;

stuff them with broth

But when they are bored

that will not be enough.

 

 

Father’s on furlough

but no help at all.

They don’t have a garden

can’t kick a ball.

 

 

We can exercise outside

but just once a day

with strangers all glowering

‘Keep out the way’.

 

 

No sitting down

or enjoying the sun.

No open space

for the children to run.

 

 

As for home schooling

that’s kind of rough

with this many people

to concentrate’s tough.

 

Lockdown is hard

if you’re stuck in a shoe.

You’ve a nice house

so it’s ok for you.

 

‘A pause in the normal

rare peace and quiet’?

That’s ok for you

but our house is a riot.

 

Stuff them, feed them

fill them with bread

TV, the sofa

then pack them to bed.

Old Mother Hubbard

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard

and found that she’d run out out of stores

but what with the virus

we don’t like folk round us

and aren’t keen on shopping and queues.

 

Old Mother Hubbard tried online shopping

to see if they’d come to her door

but she’d lost the habit

and they’d too much traffic

and needed her custom no more.

 

So old Mother Hubbard

with her empty cupboard

knew that she must join the queue.

They kept social distance

‘twas all a performance

but what can a poor woman do?

 

A man in a mask helped her with the task

and somehow got all of it bagged..

It would need her attention

and much disinfection

then loading of shelves till they sagged.

 

Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard

and saw that she’d everything there

She had tins for all seasons,

food beyond reason

and happily loo rolls to spare.

Wee Willie Winkie

Wee Willie Winkie 

runs through the town

making sure the town folk

are all locked down.

 

Rapping on the windows

tapping on the doors

telling all the town folk

they’re better off at home.

 

Wee Willie Winkie

goes out once a day

keeps socially distant

well out people’s way.

 

Wee Willie Winkie

didn’t used to run

but now it’s in the guidance

doesn’t everyone?

 

Willie sees the townsfolk

going two by two.

He tuts and frowns

and sucks his gums

and frets about the rules.

 

Some folks break them

get the rules wrong

but Wee Willie Winkie

never thinks he’s one.