some bonfire night flippancy

Forwarded by: [email protected]
Forwarded to: [email protected]
Date forwarded: Wed, 05 Nov 2003 19:46:30 -0000
From: "jess loseby" <[email protected]>
To: "bob" <[email protected]>
Subject: Bonfire night flippancy
Date sent: Wed, 05 Nov 2003 19:46:30 -0000


Dear Bob,
some bonfire night flippancy

{adapted from 'Matilda' Cautionary Tales, Hilaire Belloc}

The Cautionary Tale of Young Tony


Young Tony told such Dreadful Lies,
It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes;
Joe Public, who, from his Earliest Youth,
Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,
Attempted to Believe his views:
The effort very nearly killed him too,
And might yet do so, if not he
Discovers this Infirmity.
For once , towards the Close of Day,
Young Tony, growing tired of play
And finding he was left alone,
Went tiptoe to the Telephone,
And summoned the Immediate Aid
Of Army, Navy, Fire-Brigade.


Within a day the Gallant Band
Were pouring in from every land,
From Pakistan, to Monaco
With Courage high and Hearts a-glow
They galloped, fearing deep corruption
`iraq has weapons of mass destruction!!'
Inspired by Global Cheers and Loud
Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,
They ran their ladders through a score
Of windows and kicked down each door;
And took Peculiar Pains to Souse
The oil fires (never mind your House),
Joe Public has as yet succeeded
In showing them they were not needed;
Even when he tried to pay
To get them all to go away!


It happened that a few Weeks later
Joe Public was off to the Theatre
To see that Interesting Play
"How many men have died today?".
He had refused to take young Tony with him
to hear this play of social schism:
A Deprivation Just and Wise
To Punish him for Telling Lies.
That Night a real war did break out -
You should have heard Young Tony Shout!
You should have heard him Scream and Bawl,
And throw the window up and call
To People passing in the Street -
(The rapidly increasing bombs
Encouraging him to obtain
Their confidence) - but all in vain!
For every time he shouted `Dire!'
They only answered `Little Liar'!
And therefore when Joe P returned,
Young Tony and his troops, were Burned.

++++

jess.

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