whenever i walk in a london street
i'm ever so careful to watch my feet
and i keep in the squares
and the masses of bears
who wait at the corners just ready to eat
the sillies who walk on the lines of the squares
go back to their lairs, and i say to them "bears!
Just look how i'm walking in all the squares!"
and the little bears growl to each other "he's mine,
as soon as he's silly and treads on a line."
and some of the bigger bears try to pretend
that they came round the corner to look for a friend
and they try to pretend that nobody cares
whether you walk on the lines or the squares
but only the sillies believe their talk
its ever so 'portant how you walk
its ever so jolly to call out "Bears!
Just look how i'm walking in all the squares!"
a.a.milne
1882-1956
when we were very young
EP Dutton & Co. 1924
Illustrations by EH Shepard
18 comments:
i'm not sure i can remember a time when i didn't know this poem
and it is, of course, the only way to walk in london
Milne & Pooh are worth remembering and is so by many. ; )
er, sorry I meant to say "and are so" by many.
Need more coffee, it's too early!
Cheers!
oh yes, yes, yes! And what was the one about "they're changing guard at Buckingham Palace, something something Robin and Alice...something something..."a soldier's life is terrible hard."
(or something)
:-)
lovely memories, Lettuce. Thanks!
So glad you included the illustrations! Happy amusing day to you, Lettuce!
I seem to recall Long John Baldry doing this in concert just for fun!
It's been ages since I last read that poem. Thanks.
Thanks for reminding me about the poem. :)
A.A. Milne is always chicken soup for my soul. I'm still in love with Poo Bear.
Oh I so remember this, I still play Pooh sticks with my grandson when out walking by the river. Thanks for the memory!!!!
hello coffee messiah. I bet aamilne drank tea rather than coffee. ;op
Lee - "Christopher Robin went down with Alice" and i can't remember the next bit (not one of the fair number i still know off by heart) but i do remember the tune....
and to you Tut-tut
ched, that would have been funny
you're most welcome Dumdad. i'm sure you could walk like this in Paris too
Lamalu :o)
Barbara, "chicken soup for the soul" :-D
lusks my dad leaves near the original Pooh sticks bridge - but thankfully it can be played anywhere of course.
This is great!
thanks for the lovely bear hug. happy solstice!
Dennis doesn't understand.
LOL - I remember after first reading this, I was ever so careful not to tramp on the lines in case they became lions - and then much later, deliberately tramping on the lines in the hope they might become lions! :-)
Love that poem :D
Far more clever than "Step on a crack, break your mother's back," which is what we used to say in school.
(Kind of savage, now that I think about it...)
a.a. milne and when we were very young is a great collection. Or perhaps I am thinking of Now we are six. No matter, both are terrific. I think I shall include more of his poems in my teaching next year. Thanks for reminding me of this one.
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