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Poem from Burma

Brush your teeth up and down, brother,
Oh, brush them up and down!
All the folks in London Town
Brush their teeth right up and down,
Oh! How they shine!
Aren't they bloody fine?
Night and morning, my brother,
Oh brush them up and down!"

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Comments


  • I-Like-Rhymes Moderators member
    January 5
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    I think this was probably written whilst he was a policeman in Burma in his early twenties.
    The emphasis on semi-military dress and discipline would probably have been reinforced by constant references to "How it was done in London" and this is Blair's ironic response.


    • rufina caraid Moderators member
      January 6
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      Thanks Jim for the enlightenment - I can see where he's coming from now. I imagine those chaps in Burma hated being reminded of how 'things were done in London'
      Von


  • rufina caraid Moderators member
    January 5

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    I must be missing something here but I don't see any connection with how to brush teeth and Burma. Maybe one had to be there to understand.

  • Muted Delirium
    March 12, 2005
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    After reading Charles Bukowski's work, this just didn't do it for me.