Matilda told such Dreadful Lies,
It made one Gasp and Stretch one’s Eyes;
Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,
Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,
Attempted to believe Matilda:
The effort very nearly killed her,
And would have done so, had not She
Discovered this Infirmity.
For once, towards the Close of Day,
And finding she was left alone,
Went tiptoe
to
the telephone
And summoned the Immediate Aid
Of London’s Nobel Fire-Brigade.
Within and hour the Gallant Band
Were pouring in on every hand,
From Putney, Hackney Downs and Bow,
With Courage high and Hearts a-glow
They galloped, roaring though the Town,
“Matilda’s House is Burning Down”
Inspired by British Cheers and Loud
Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,
They ran their ladders through a score
Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;
And took Peculiar Pains to Souse
The Pictures up and down the House,
Until Matilda’s Aunt succeeded
In showing them they were not needed
And even then she had to pay
To get the Men to go away!
It happened that a few Weeks later
Here aunt was off to the Theatre
To see that Interesting Play
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.
She had refused to take her Niece
To here this Entertaining Piece:
A Deprivation Just and Wise
To Punish her for Telling Lies.
That Night a Fire did break out-
You should have heard Matilda Shout!
You should have heard her Scream and Bawl,
And throw the window up and call
To People passing in the Street-
(The rapidly increasing Heat
Encouraging her to obtain
Their confidence)-but it was all in vain!
For every time She shouted “Fire!”
They only answered “Little Liar!”
And therefore when her Aunt returned,
Matilda, and the House, were burned.
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Comments
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And the saddest part is, an artist was lost in that fire, from Belloc's account,
Matilda told such Dreadful Lies,
It made one Gasp and Stretch one’s Eyes;
Just a misunderstood artist, lol
A delightful poem to read. -
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matilda [ poem]
From guest Lynn Snee (contact)
I love thepoem Matilda, I remembe most of it off by heart as we had to recite it at school. There's just one thing I would like to poin out, there is a line missing. it should say. For once towards he close of day _Matilda growing tired of play_ and finding she was left alone, -
Oh the memories
From guest Nita (contact)
I'd forgotten how much I loved reading Hilaire Belloc as a child. My mum bought me the 'Cautionary Tales' for my birthday and I thought they were the best poems I'd ever read. I think my mum might have been trying to tell me something...hehe -
A INTERESTING POEM
From guest cidny (contact)
Dear commrads we surely all agree that there is nothing worse to see than an unwilling mother die across the hevens angels sigh -
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Very well written
This poem is in narrative form. The poem has a great moral. Children of all ages need to read this. In a very beautiful melodious way the poet has shown the result of lies. Sometimes the damaged caused by lie is physical and visible but most of the times the damage is done but liar can’t see or understand that.
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