Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Forgiven

Carnival time . . this week "Forgiven" and I was rather stuck until I remembered this from the recesses of my childish brain. I remember all the words to this day . .Melanie Safka also put it to music but I couldn't find a clip . . . I found the gorgeously handsome Ben Harper instead!

I found a little beetle; so that Beetle was his name,

And I called him Alexander and he answered just the same.
I put him in a match-box, and I kept him all the day ...
And Nanny let my beetle out -
Yes, Nanny let my beetle out -
She went and let my beetle out -
And Beetle ran away.

She said she didn't mean it, and I never said she did,
She said she wanted matches and she just took off the lid,
She said that she was sorry, but it's difficult to catch
An excited sort of beetle you've mistaken for a match.

She said that she was sorry, and I really mustn't mind,
As there's lots and lots of beetles which she's certain we could find,
If we looked about the garden for the holes where beetles hid -
And we'd get another match-box and write BEETLE on the lid.

We went to all the places which a beetle might be near,
And we made the sort of noises which a beetle likes to hear,
And I saw a kind of something, and I gave a sort of shout:
"A beetle-house and Alexander Beetle coming out!"

It was Alexander Beetle I'm as certain as can be,
And he had a sort of look as if he thought it must be Me,
And he had a sort of look as if he thought he ought to say:
"I'm very very sorry that I tried to run away."

And Nanny's very sorry too for you-know-what-she-did,
And she's writing ALEXANDER very blackly on the lid,
So Nan and Me are friends, because it's difficult to catch
An excited Alexander you've mistaken for a match.


See, forgiveness is that simple!


18 comments:

Mrsupole said...

That was such a cute poem, yes children are so great. But a beetle, ugh.

Forgiveness is such a wonderful thing.

Great post.

Anonymous said...

I always love reading your stuff. Never a boring post. But I do get a tad disappointed when you miss a day. Have you ever considered a professional writing career? Your stuff is brilliant and addictive! Love your work especially your deep and meaningful posts. This is my first virgin comment from a long time admirer of your work and perhaps next time I wont be so shy and will leave my name.

Grow Up said...

I remember my granny reciting that. Always a good laugh.

Baino said...

I had loads of AA Milne stuff as a kid and then found out that his son (Christopher Robin) was actually quite a lonely little boy. . .rather sad. And I still never step outside the squares just in case I am taken by lions and bears!

Anony welcome over and please do leave your name and a link if you're a blogger! Thanks for the complement but truly, the more you trawl the blogs, the more brilliant the writing. I'm a hack by comparison but have done some copywriting in my time! I try to post every day but sometimes I have nothing and others I'm just too bloody busy.

Loads of nice kiddy poems Growup, you should get a few for the girly swats . . there's always Whinnie the Pooh as well. (hehe I said pooh)

Ces Adorio said...

That is why you put a beetle in a glass jar or tie a string around it's neck; not keep it in a matchbox. However, if one does keep it in a matchbox and another lets it loose we get to read the lyrics of a song, like this. I made up my own melody for it because it's too early to play the clip.

Anonymous said...

Hey Baino. This reminded me of the ols Boll Weevil song we had in grade school. This one is pretty neat, as well.

Brian Miller said...

loved the poem...forgiveness, where freedom is found, yet easier said than done too often.

Candie said...

Great post,that poem was very nice and and....Ben Harper!!!!!!
Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!groupie kind of shout,he 's greaaaaaaaat!
;)

Anonymous said...

That was just lovely. Was it a party piece?

If we don't forgive we fester!

Unknown said...

My week has been nice but for a complete glory I need one more thing. Probably you know what I mean. Tomorrow I should get an answer to it because if she says yes then we scheduled the .... for Friday.

Megan said...

Me loves me some Ben Harper.

Forgiveness is a wonderful thing to give...and to get!

River said...

I've found through experience that forgiveness eases the mind of the forgiver as well as the forgivee. Holding on to a grudge or a hate is one of the most hurtful things in life, such negative emotions can cloud your thoughts and deeds even without you realising it.

Miles McClagan said...

I tried to write a poem
It was about a beetle
I tried to come up with rhymes
It really made me foetal

The animal was boring
Not infamous like a dingo
So when I write a beetle poem
You know I'm using Ringo

Anonymous said...

The moral of course is that if you've inadvertently disappointed someone you should do whatever you can to put it right and make them happy again. It's a shame some people don't seem to care less about disappointing others as they frantically pursue their own pleasures.

Baino said...

OH Ces, I guess it's a very English thing. Most kids my age (hark on me!) were brought up with AA Milne, Christopher Robin and Whinnie the Pooh! Sorry, the Ben Harper song is called Forgiven . .nothing to do with the beetle.

Boll Weevil? There is a cultural divide here I think Subby!

Ropi, if I was 30 years younger ... you could take me to see Watchmen and buy me a supersized popcorn!

Megs, isn't he just gorgeous? That lucky Laura Dern

Ah River. I dunno. I don't think it's my right to 'forgive'. But I'm definitely not one to hold a grudge.

Miley . . I love you! So does Thomas the Tank Engine!

Nick I've been trying to trawl the Carnival writers on this one and as expected, they're quite serious and valid responses. But 'forgive' isn't a word in my vocab. I don't hold a grudge, I accept an apology but forgiving is devine. Not up to me to make that judgement call.

Anonymous said...

Baino, just a bit. The little Boll Weevil was a constant threat to the cotton industry( especially the 19th century ).

Sandy Kessler said...

Smile territory that poem Sandy

English Mum said...

Fantastic! I remember this one from when I was little too x