James James
Morrison Morrison
Weatherby George Dupree
Took great
Care of his Mother,
Though he was only three.
James James Said to his Mother,
"Mother," he said, said he;
"You must never go down
to the end of the town,
if you don't go down with me."
James James
Morrison's Mother
Put on a golden gown.
James James Morrison's Mother
Drove to the end of the town.
James James Morrison's Mother
Said to herself, said she:
"I can get right down
to the end of the town
and be back in time for tea."
King John
Put up a notice,
"LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED!
JAMES JAMES MORRISON'S MOTHER
SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.
LAST SEEN
WANDERING VAGUELY:
QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD,
SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN
TO THE END OF THE TOWN -
FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD!"
James James
Morrison Morrison
(Commonly known as Jim)
Told his
Other relations
Not to go blaming him.
James James
Said to his Mother,
"Mother," he said, said he:
"You must never go down to the end of the town
without consulting me."
James James
Morrison's mother
Hasn't been heard of since.
King John said he was sorry,
So did the Queen and Prince.
King John
(Somebody told me)
Said to a man he knew:
If people go down to the end of the town, well,
what can anyone do?"
(Now then, very softly)
J.J.
M.M.
W.G.Du P.
Took great
C/O his M*****
Though he was only 3.
J.J. said to his M*****
"M*****," he said, said he:
"You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-
if-you-don't-go-down-with-ME!"
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Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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From guest Roisin (contact)
this is a great poem and i have read it meany times but i toatally agree with anna that it is very sinister but at the same time almost funny. the last verse is very confusing, why didn't he write all the letters out??? could anyone anwer that or me???? -
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For Guest Roisin
It is my belief that this was written for a Children's reading book. Parent and child reading together would improve the child's reading skills. The verse at the end would then become a fun puzzle for the child with mum or dad there to help out if stuck.
This would also explain the general silliness of the piece with the child able to enjoy a joke about the grown-ups who would constantly be giving the warnings to a child in real life.
Just a thought.
Jim
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From guest anna souter, 16 (contact)
this poem is a fantastic poem, but as a child i never noticed just how sinister it is. the image of a little boy looking after his mother because she's probably mentally ill, although this probably wouldn't have been realised then, is awful. equally moving is how she puts on her best dress and goes to the 'end of town', and was last seen 'wandering vaguely'. also, why does James have so many names? morrison, weatherby, george and dupree can all be surnames, and this perhaps could suggest that his mother doesn't know who James's father is, perhaps could be one of many. also, people just seem to accept that she's got lost, which is terrible. just speculation here, but doesnt everyone else think it's quite sinister? -
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A A Milne is using a type of "reverse psychology" in these verses and depicting what would happen if the mother / son roles were reversed and he (JJMMWGDuP) was the responsible person who had to go searching for his mother when she got lost.
In doing this he has produced a cautionary verse equally memorable and enchanting as Belloc's "Jim" http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/6138-Hilaire-Belloc-Jim with its admonition to keep tight hold of nurse for fear of finding something worse.
I doubt if there was ever any speculation of mental instability or promiscuity although, given the background of many of today's children, I can understand how it may be viewed in that way.
Jim (no not the same one
)
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From guest Sharon (contact)
Always loved this one and lost it. Have been searching for all the words ever since. Thanks! The quest is complete! -
From guest Snow White (contact)
This has always been my favorite poem, and my sister and I like quoting it sometimes together, at the same time. We do the last verse really quiet, and say only the letters, and put up three fingers for 3. But the last two lines we yell as loud as we can, and always end up giggling. It's really one of the most fun poems I've ever read, and it's always stuck with me. -
this is a poem I've grown up with and my father (age 64) is still read this poem (I DO believe!) when his temperture is taken as it takes my "mum" exactly THREE MINUTES, to recite this, and 3 minutes is the average length of an older thermometer to "finish"....Yeah, aa milne is one of my greatest heroes, he grew us all up, and still rings loudly in our hearts and spirits....I'm looking for another poem, just now, but James James is so very specific to each and every of us in the Rosen family.
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i really like this poem, yeah i sadly had a book but lost it too. it really left me wondering if there is more of a story behind this peice.and im very curious to the inspiration of this piece.this poem is not instantly forgotten once i leave the comoputer
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i have to admit that this one left me wondering if there was
more of a story behind the piece itself...i am very curious
as to the inspiration for the piece. That is actually one
of the things i most enjoyed about the write, i suppose. It
leaves me with something to wonder about once i leave the
page...and it is not instantly forgotten.
UB
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I used to have a book with a bunch of A.A. Milne's poetry and I loved it and lost it sadly... I'm so happy to find this one..
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gorgeous! it was read to me when I was about eight & I've never forgotten
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