Two by Two

[dafydd manton]

Written in about 1987, and unearthed about ten minutes ago.

I have my reservations......

If music soothes the savage breast,
Did Noah, in his Ark
Have a wind-up gramophone
To play the best of Bach?

When all the sea-sick beasties
Began to growl or bark,
Did Japheth bung the needle
On the best of Offenbach?

The llama's fond of Mozart,
(Unknown on mountain farms)
Whilst the wallaby will wallow
In the piano works of Brahms.

The elephant is taken
By Rossini's "William Tell"
Though he's fairly cosmopolitan,
And likes Mendelsohn as well.

The bear's enthusiastic
About Dvorak at his peak,
But often hums Prokofiev
Whilst playing Hayd-n-seek.

The reason why the lion
Is often in a rage
Why, he's the only creature
With Wagner in his cage!

:confused5: :confused5: :confused5:

[Hawkman]

Oh I do like this! Great fun and great wit.

Whilst playing Hayd-seek would be better as Hayd-n-seek as it keeps the metre and is a petter pun.

Was that he's the only creature
Who had Wagner in his cage!

the metre stumbles a bit here too I suggest:

Why, he's the only creature
With Wagner in his cage!


Whilst the wallaby will wallow - Whilst wallabys will wallow

and with that it can't get any better! Great stuff Dafydd.

Best, H

[dafydd manton]

Thanks for the suggestions. The Haydn was a simple typo, but the other two have been incorporated, and the ink ain't dry yet! Really appreciate your help. By the way, to worry the rest of the world, I found a whole file of witterings from that era, so anything could happen!!

Cheers

Dafydd

[hillwalker]

Yes, a wonderful piece of witty verse.
I felt that the first 2 lines of verse 2 tripped me up - the metre seems to have taken a nose-dive.

perhaps something along the lines of

When all the sea-sick beasties
Began to growl or Bark,

is less forced???

fy marn i yn unig assuming Dafydd understands

H

[dafydd manton]

Llawer o ddiolch, Hillwalker, dw i wedi deall. Nice suggestion. Funnier, too. Back to the original!!!

[hack]

I like this a lot, and with Hawks fine edit it is even better.
Good stuff. I wrote a somewhat similar piece in honor of
the most recent anniversary of Chas. Darwin's "Origin of Species".
I'll dig it out for your (hopeful) amusement...peace...

[dafydd manton]

Look forward to that!! Thanks!

[Hawkman]

Dafydd, you don't need the question mark but if you really wan it put it after rage. but as i said you don't need it. It's a rhetorical question and the punctuation ruins the flow. best H

[dafydd manton]

Thank 'ee young mester, Thank 'ee! (Pulls peak of battered cap, looks at floor, blushes and returns to edit with grateful glow behind ear-lobes)

[Maryd.]

Wow Dafydd, I liked it a lot. It's very clever and very witty. I hadn't seen what it was like before your corrections, but it's perfect now. Don't change a thing sir.
Regards Mary

[dafydd manton]

Thanks, Mary! You've made my day.

[Haunted]

100% fun! Love the little twist at the end.

[Jerrybaldy]

**** me im thick.