Musical English Lessons International, England

Established since 1993

This free website has been created especially for you by Bibi Baxter (International Author, Teacher & ESL/EFL Materials Specialist)  <>()<> This website contains 'something' for everyone <>()<> Established since 1993, Musical English Lessons International are the only world-wide suppliers of special ESL/EFL study ideas by Bibi Baxter (formerly Bibi Boarder)

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Controversial, Topical Rhymes & Poems 

from James Morrow

• Works by James Morrow on this website:

  • Controversial, topical poems + pedagogic suggestions by Bibi Baxter

  • Poems-2: More interesting and visual poems

  • Poems-3: More interesting poems

  • Understanding Science and Coming to Terms with Living Peacefully Alongside Other Faiths and Peoples (Essay)

  • Mental Health: A Unified Theory of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Affective Disorder
  • Mental Health:  Cognitive Illusions: Weaving the Fabric of Reality
  • Mental Health: Paranoia and the Externalised Perceptual Misalignment Hypothesis

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE

• Grocery Rhyme 1 (+ husbandry)

• Grocery Rhyme 2

• Lambs For The Daughter

DISCUSS:  The Mad Cow Disease Crisis

• Pastoral Symphony (+ The cloning of sheep)

• Silence of the Farms

• MCD (+ Traffic congestion in London)

DISCUSS ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

• MCD (Traffic congestion in London)

• The Way The Music Died (Sound pollution)

• LSD
• The Way The Music Died (Muzak)

DISCUSS THE WASTE OF NATURAL RESOURCES:  History & Man's stupidity (Does Man learn from his mistakes?)   

• Easter Island

• Heaven Scent

• The Tempest (the positioning & repetition of words to make a shape)
• Adolescence (typical teenage phrases, words & sounds)
• Words (words & phrases)

• Grammar Index

• Music Index

• Joke Index

• Sitemap

Grocery Rhyme 1 

Bad bad blackened sheep,
Have you any fuel?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three sheds full.
One for the cow herd,
One for the swine
And one for the little lambs
That aren't even mine.

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© James Morrow 17/3/2001

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• TITLE:  a play on the words 'nursery rhyme'

• CONTENT: an adaptation from a nursery rhyme called Baa Baa Black Sheep

• SUBJECT MATTER: the foot and mouth epidemic that hit the UK in 2001

• DISCUSS or COMPARE or COMPARE:  

  • Causes

  • Options & Methods chosen to contain the disease

  • Media interest & angles

  • Government statements & propaganda

Grocery Rhyme 2

Mary had a little lamb
They put it in a trench
And everywhere that Mary goes
She still can smell the stench

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© James Morrow 29/3/2001

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• TITLE:  a play on the words 'nursery rhyme'

• CONTENT: an adaptation from a nursery rhyme called Mary Had A Little Lamb

• SUBJECT MATTER: the foot and mouth epidemic that hit the UK in 2001

• DISCUSS or COMPARE or COMPARE:  

  • Causes

  • Options & Methods chosen to contain the disease

  • Media interest & angles

  • Government statements & propaganda

Lambs for the Daughter

Mary had a little lamb,

But now she's all alone,

And no matter where poor Mary goes,

There's no place like home.

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© James Morrow 31/3/2001

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• TITLE:  a play on the phrase '....like lambs to the slaughter'

• CONTENT: an adaptation from a nursery rhyme called Mary Had A Little Lamb

• SUBJECT MATTER: the foot and mouth epidemic that hit the UK in 2001

• DISCUSS or COMPARE or COMPARE:  

  • Causes

  • Options & Methods chosen to contain the disease

  • Media interest & angles

  • Government statements & propaganda

Pastoral Sympathy

While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
Flames leaping all around.
The agent for the lord came down,
To disinfect the ground.

"Fear not," said he; for mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mind.
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring,
To you and all mankind."

"To you in Edinburgh this day
Is born of Dolly's line
A sheep herd that you can afford;
All you need do is sign:"

"The wonder-sheep you there shall find
To human view displayed,
So keenly trapped by the press-stands
And in a manger laid."

Thus spake the sheriff; and forthwith
Appeared a heaving throng
Of shepherds praising Dolly, who thus
Addressed their joyful song:

"All glory be to Dolly sheep,
And on earth be cheap meat;
Good-swill henceforth to livestock from men
Begin and never cease."

<>()<>

© James Morrow 6/3/2001
<>()<>
God of lambs you pander to the whims of the world

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• TITLE:  a play on Beethoven's classical title 'Pastoral Symphony'

• CONTENT: an adaptation from a Christmas Carol called While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night

• SUBJECT MATTER: the Mad Cow Disease crisis (Bovine Encephalitis) that hit the UK last century;  also the cloning of sheep

• DISCUSS or COMPARE or COMPARE:  

  • Cause

  • Options & Methods chosen to contain the disease

  • Media interest & angles

  • Government statements & propaganda

Silence of the Farms

Mass Production

Mass Slaughter

Massacre

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Cow shed this mortal coil

Unwind smoke's tendrils into darkened skies

Blackened hooves point heavenward

Dancing between the flames

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The funeral pyre

The ministry of food

Sprinkling holy water at the gate

Keeping the demons at bay

Offering prayer

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© James Morrow 14/03/2001

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• TITLE:  a play on the words of the film title' Silence of the Lambs'

• CONTENT: an interesting use of words & phrases in verse-1 beginning with 'mass' 

• SUBJECT MATTER: the Mad Cow Disease crisis (Bovine Encephalitis) that hit the UK last century.

• DISCUSS or COMPARE:  

  • Causes

  • Options & Methods chosen to contain the disease

  • Media interest & angles

  • Government statements & propaganda

MCD

Re:  Environmental Problems:- Congestion & Pollution

Now that mad car disease is endemic in London

And is spreading rapidly to other cities and towns

Has anyone considered mass slaughter of all cars

In the infected areas and within a two hundred mile radius?

<>()<>

To ensure that this, admittedly drastic, policy is effective

In stamping out this disease before it spreads out of all control

All movement of cars in and out of each infected area must be stopped

Local scrapyards must be re-established and all affected cars burnt or buried

Tight restrictions must, of course, be placed on all vehicle movements

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In order to ensure safe transportation of cars in areas currently free of MCD

Strict guidelines must be enforced, and no car allowed to be moved except

Within carefully disinfected transporters which must avoid all rush hours

All live cars seen in MCD infected areas must be clamped on sight

And taken away for incineration or burial

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Illegal movement of suspected cars -

At night by transporter, for example -

Must be severely punished

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If we take this drastic action now

We might have this disease under control before

Fossil fuels run out and all vehicular life ends

Stamp out MCD before it stamps out life

You know it makes sense

Save our transport

Re 'cycle

<>()<>

© James Morrow 22/4/2001

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• TITLE:  'MCD' (Mad Car Disease) is a play on the words 'Mad Cow Disease'

• CONTENT suggests similar methods can be used to solve both problems.

• SUBJECT MATTER: traffic congestion, pollution from exhausts, disposal

• DISCUSS or COMPARE:  

  • Causes

  • Options & Methods chosen to contain the disease

  • Media interest & angles

  • Government statements & propaganda

Easter Island

Re:  Environmental Problems:- The waste of natural resources 

And they came 'cross the sea, to the island they came
And they made it their home, and they gave it a name
They had made their choice well, for the land it was rich
And the sea was awash with numerous fish
 
And so they had plenty, and so they ate well
And cut back the forest, and drank from the well
They knew they were lucky, they gave thanks to their gods
And built for them statues, and ceremonies, and laws
 
And their numbers soon grew in this land of plenty
As they harvested trees, to build boats and fuel fires
So they knew they were blessed, and they worshipped more earnestly
And built yet more idols looking far out to sea
 
But there were now just too many, and the forest was gone
And the land it was windswept, and hope there was none
So they abandoned their idols and turned on the land
Until it too was barren, just rocks and sand
 
Then they rushed for the boats
And that worked for a while
But with no timber to mend them,
And so many mouths to feed
It dawned it was futile
 
So they attacked their idols, in desperation they cried
True or false, they were hopeless, as score by score they died
Now there were no more boats and they could not escape
To the sea which had borne them from a far distant cape
 
Weakened and weary, the survivors sat down
And surveyed the sea from a silent mound
And the sea it was infinite, but this land it was dead
And their world was an island, and nothing was said
 
And as the waves crashed on the beach
And as the sun rose in the sky
They said a silent prayer
That they might gently die
 
 <>()<>
 
© James Morrow 14/2/2001

• SUBJECT MATTER: The wasteful use of natural resources

• READ: more information about this subject from James' Morrow

• DISCUSS or COMPARE:  

  • Causes

  • Options 

The Way the Music Died

Re:  Environmental Problems:-  Muzak (sound pollution)

Once music was emotion,
Live and free, ephemeral,
Shimmering then fading rapidly,
Yet lingering in our souls,
A distant memory.

Then music was captured,
Trapped and tamed,
Bred for show,
Its wild heart hunted almost to extinction,
In evenings, in pubs, in cold doorways.

Now music is manufactured,
Factory farmed, duplicated,
Productionised, homogenised,
Yet lingering in our memories
A distant longing.

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© James Morrow 6/02/2001

Bibi's Language Notes

Vocabulary:  muzak, piped music, background music, reproduced music v live music

LSD

Re:  Changes in Britain

• Drugs (historical attitudes)
• Coinage of the Realm (pre-decimalisation)
• Measurement (imperial v decimalisation)
• Political Correctness

Many have used it
The Romans discovered it
At the end of the Sixties they banned it
A man was arrested recently for dealing in it
So many are still addicted
Some say it's a drug
It's immaterial
But I say it's a
Medium of
Exchange

A pound of apples
The king's shilling
Then decimalisation
No twelve to the dozen
Or thirteen bakers
No pound of fresh
Twelve months,
Twelve hours,
Twelve disciples
All must go
No longer how big
Now it's how many
No more feet, hands
Cubits, spans, inches
Poles, acres, drams
Grams now, and kilograms
Metres and seconds
Hold on a second
Metric measures
Sometimes I can't fathom it
Money is the drug, drug money
Sell their lives for it, sell their souls
Sell our souls, into slavery
But I have their measure
Tell them to get knotted
The thought police
Shylock would
No more seasons anymore
Even the news at nine
Is now at ten

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© James Morrow 20/4/2001

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• TITLE:  LSD is the name given to pre-decimalisation coinage - pounds (£), shillings (s) & pence (d). It also refers to illegally-used amphetamines

• CONTENT: Changes in Britain

• LATERAL THINKING:  Note how phrases & ideas are linked 

• SUBJECT MATTER:  Bewailing the changes & reminiscing

• DISCUSS or COMPARE:   

  • Drugs (changing social attitudes & effects on users)
  • Coinage of the Realm (advantages v disadvantages of decimalisation)
  • Measurement (advantages v disadvantages of imperial weights + measures)
  • Political Correctness
• INTRODUCTION:  Begin by asking the class what the letters LSD mean to them, then say how it can mean many things to other people.  Then ask students to find as many things as possible in the poem.

based (in part) on Shakespeare's The Seven Ages of Man

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© James Morrow 8/02/2001

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• DISCUSS or COMPARE:  this verse with Shakespeare's version The Seven Ages of Man and identify similarities (if any) in vocabulary, intonation, etc.

The Tempest

(playing with the positioning of letters and repetitive words & phrases)

For more examples of interesting ways in which to develop this theme, please write to James Morrow   

The Tempest

never

never never never

in in in

       t     t          in in in             t     t

   h       h                 the the the                    h       h

        e     e             the the the             e     e

field field field field field field field field field field field field field field field field field field

field field field field field field field field field field field field field field field

of human conflict have so of human conflict have so of human conflict have so

of human conflict have so of human conflict have so of human conflict have so

many many many many many many many many many many many many many

many many many many many many many many many

owed owed owed

owed owed

so so so so

so so so so

much much

much much

to to to to

to to to to

so so so so

so so so so

few few few

few few few

few few few

few few few

few few few

few few few

few few few few few few

few few few few few few

few few few few few few

few few few

few few

few

f

e

w

©  James Morrow 1/5/2001

Typhoon Mk 1B

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• Ask students if the outline of the poem reminds them of anything, but do not make any comments
• Ask students if they can improve on the visual creative aspect of the poem in any way.  (James Morrow's original showed the plane sillouetted against a blue sky with white clouds.)
• Ask students to fish out one sentence from the bevy of words, then to key it into a search engine in order to find the whole of Winston Churchill's famous speech on the internet to discuss and compare with James Morrow's version.
• After this discussion, ask students once again if the outline of the poem reminds them of anything from the war.  (For me, it reminds me of an aeroplane - maybe a spitfire.)
• Finally, ask students to think of a famous sentence, then use the words in a similar way to create a relevant shape.

Adolescence

(playing with sounds, then with typical teenagers' phrases)

Child's eyes
Idol highs
Idol eyes
Idle eyes
Idle lies
Adult essence
Adult less sense
Adult lessons
A dole lessons
Intransigence
Obedience
Ever present
Effervescence
Skipping lessons
Skipping lessens
Wagging, the dog
High fashion
Label heaven
The message is
The medium
Self importance
Teenage blues
Teenage booze
Teenage hues
Them and us
Got you sussed
Don't fuss
Everything's possible
You are impossible
I hate you
You won't let me do anything!
I can't let you do everything!
I hate you
I hate your music
I hate your clothes
I hate the car you wear
I hate your slippers
You know nothing
How could you do this to me?
Get away from me
Leave me alone
You don't own me
I hate you
You won't let me do anything
You won't listen to me
Leave me alone
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© James Morrow 7/2/2002

Bibi's Notes & Suggestions

• This is ideal for use with teenagers

• Instruct them to pick out typical phrases used by British teenagers to their peers, or their parents

• Ask them if they use the equivalent in their own language

• Instruct them to pick out the phrases used by parents

Words

(playing with words & phrases)

Words drain out of me
Like phrases on a doorstep
Said in the calm
Of the moment of truth,
In the heat of the light of your eyes
I am unfastened now,
Of course I bolted down my food for thought
Whispering past your window,
Drop by drop words trickled down your pain
Is left unsaid for now, the silent time,
This waiting line,
Watching time.
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© James Morrow 29/4/2002

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