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The Broom, The Shovel, the Poker and the Tongs
by Edward Lear
The Broom, The Shovel, the Poker and the Tongs is from Edward Lear's collection of poems, The Jumblies, and Other Nonsense Verses (1910?). Lear's poems continue to delight and build confidence in early readers.
I. THE Broom and the Shovel, the Poker and Tongs, They all took a drive in the Park, And they each sang a song, Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! Before they went back in the dark. Mr. Poker he sat quite upright in the coach, Mr. Tongs made a clatter and clash, Miss Shovel was dressed all in black (with a brooch), Mrs. Broom was in blue (with a sash). Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! And they all sang a song! II. โO Shovely so lovely!โ the Poker he sang, โYou have perfectly conquered my heart! โDing-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! If youโre pleased with my song โI will feed you with cold apple tart! โWhen you scrape up the coals with a delicate sound, โYou enrapture my life with delight! โYour nose is so shiny! your head is so round! โAnd your shape is so slender and bright! โDing-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! โAinโt you pleased with my song?โ III. โAlas! Mrs. Broom!โ sighed the Tongs in his song, โO is it because Iโm so thin, โAnd my legs are so longโDing-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! โThat you donโt care about me a pin? โAh! fairest of creatures, when sweeping the room, โAh! why donโt you heed my complaint? โMust you needs be so cruel, you beautiful Broom, โBecause you are covered with paint? โDing-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! โYou are certainly wrong!โ IV. Mrs. Broom and Miss Shovel together they sang, โWhat nonsense youโre singing to-day!โ Said the Shovel, โIโll certainly hit you a bang!โ Said the Broom, โAnd Iโll sweep you away!โ So the Coachman drove homeward as fast as he could, Perceiving their anger with pain; But they put on the kettle, and little by little They all became happy again. Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! Thereโs an end of my song!
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Think how much fun can be had with a simple broom! dancing, jumping, singing, flying, dress up..oh, and cleaning. You might also enjoy this poem celebrating a broom, The Broom. Explore more Pre-K Wordplay!
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I.
THE Broom and the Shovel, the Poker and Tongs,
They all took a drive in the Park,
And they each sang a song, Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong!
Before they went back in the dark.
Mr. Poker he sat quite upright in the coach,
Mr. Tongs made a clatter and clash,
Miss Shovel was dressed all in black (with a brooch),
Mrs. Broom was in blue (with a sash).
Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong!
And they all sang a song!
II.
โO Shovely so lovely!โ the Poker he sang,
โYou have perfectly conquered my heart!
โDing-a-dong! Ding-a-dong! If youโre pleased with my song
โI will feed you with cold apple tart!
โWhen you scrape up the coals with a delicate sound,
โYou enrapture my life with delight!
โYour nose is so shiny! your head is so round!
โAnd your shape is so slender and bright!
โDing-a-dong! Ding-a-dong!
โAinโt you pleased with my song?โ
III.
โAlas! Mrs. Broom!โ sighed the Tongs in his song,
โO is it because Iโm so thin,
โAnd my legs are so longโDing-a-dong! Ding-a-dong!
โThat you donโt care about me a pin?
โAh! fairest of creatures, when sweeping the room,
โAh! why donโt you heed my complaint?
โMust you needs be so cruel, you beautiful Broom,
โBecause you are covered with paint?
โDing-a-dong! Ding-a-dong!
โYou are certainly wrong!โ
IV.
Mrs. Broom and Miss Shovel together they sang,
โWhat nonsense youโre singing to-day!โ
Said the Shovel, โIโll certainly hit you a bang!โ
Said the Broom, โAnd Iโll sweep you away!โ
So the Coachman drove homeward as fast as he could,
Perceiving their anger with pain;
But they put on the kettle, and little by little
They all became happy again.
Ding-a-dong! Ding-a-dong!
Thereโs an end of my song!