And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.
~ The Owl and the Pussycat (1871)

Edward Lear (12 May 1812 – 29 January 1888) was an English artist, illustrator and writer known for his nonsensical poetry and his limericks, a form which he popularised.

Quotes

  • There was an Old Man with a beard,
    Who said, "It is just as I feared!—
    Two Owls and a Hen,
    Four Larks and a Wren,
    Have all built their nests in my beard!"
  • How pleasant to know Mr. Lear!
    Who has written such volumes of stuff!
    Some think him ill-tempered and queer,
    But a few think him pleasant enough.
  • His mind is concrete and fastidious,
    His nose is remarkably big;
    His visage is more or less hideous,
    His beard it resembles a wig.
    • How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear, st. 2.
  • Far and few, far and few,
    Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
    Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
    And they went to sea in a Sieve.
    • "The Jumblies", st. 1, in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets (1871).
  • They went to sea in a sieve, they did;
    In a sieve they went to sea;
    In spite of all their friends could say.
    • "The Jumblies", st. 1, in Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets (1871).
  • Calico Pie,
    The little Birds fly
    Down to the calico tree,
    Their wings were blue,
    And they sang "Tilly-loo!"
    Till away they flew,—
    And they never came back to me!
  • Calico Jam,
    The little Fish swam,
    Over the syllabub sea,
    He took off his hat,
    To the Sole and the Sprat,
    And the Willeby-Wat,—
    But he never came back to me!
    • Calico Pie, st. 2.
  • On the top of the Crumpetty Tree
    The Quangle Wangle sat,
    But his face you could not see,
    On account of his Beaver Hat.
  • When awful darkness and silence reign
    Over the great Gromboolian plain,
    Through the long, long wintry nights.
    When the angry breakers roar
    As they beat on the rocky shore;—
    When Storm-clouds brood on the towering heights
    Of the Hills of the Chankly Bore
  • The Pobble who has no toes
    Had once as many as we;
    When they said, "Some day you may lose them all;"—
    He replied, — "Fish fiddle de-dee!"
  • It's a fact the whole world knows,
    That Pebbles are happier without their toes.
    • The Pobble Who Has No Toes, st. 6.
  • Ploffskin, Pluffskin, Pelican jee!
    We think no Birds so happy as we!
    Plumpskin, Ploshkin, Pelican jill!
    We think so then, and we thought so still!
  • On a little heap of Barley
    Died my aged uncle Arly,
    And they buried him one night;—
    Close beside the leafy thicket;—
    There, his hat and Railway-Ticket;—
    There, his ever-faithful Cricket;—
    (But his shoes were far too tight.)

The Owl and the Pussycat (1871)

  • The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea
    In a beautiful pea green boat,
    They took some honey, and plenty of money,
    Wrapped up in a five pound note.
    The Owl looked up to the stars above,
    And sang to a small guitar,
    "O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love,
    What a beautiful Pussy you are,
    You are,
    You are!
    What a beautiful Pussy you are!"
    • St. 1.
  • Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl!
    How charmingly sweet you sing!
    O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
    But what shall we do for a ring?"
    • St. 2.
  • They sailed away for a year and a day
    To the land where the bong-tree grows.
    • St. 2.
  • "Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
    Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."
    • St. 3.
  • They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
    Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
    And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
    They danced by the light of the moon,
    The moon,
    The moon,
    They danced by the light of the moon.
    • St. 3.

The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bongy-Bò (1877)

  • On the Coast of Coromandel
    Where the early pumpkins blow,
    In the middle of the woods
    Lived the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bò.
    Two old chairs, and half a candle,—
    One old jug without a handle,—
    These were all his worldly goods.
    • St. 1.
  • There he heard a Lady talking,
    To some milk-white Hens of Dorking,—
    'Tis the lady Jingly Jones!
    On that little heap of stones
    Sits the Lady Jingly Jones!
    • St. 2.
  • I would be your wife most gladly!
    (Here she twirled her fingers madly,)
    But in England I've a mate!
    Yes! you've asked me far too late,
    For in England I've a mate.
    • St. 5.
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