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The Nation's Favourite Poems
The Nation's Favourite: Comic Poems
This wonderful anthology contains some of the nation's all-time favourite comic poetry. From much-loved classics such as Lewis Carroll's curious 'Jabberwocky' to lesser known and forgotten gems such as Gelett Burgess's 'The Purple Cow', Griff Rhys Jones takes us on a poetic tour of witty, nonsensical and plain laugh-out-loud funny poems. The selection brings together poets from every age and every walk of life, from Shakespeare to Victoria Wood and from Keats to Benjamin Zephaniah. There is Roald Dahl's cunning variation on 'Little Red Riding Hood', Spike Milligan's brilliantly ridiculous 'On the Ning Nang Nong' as well as several entries from the ever-elusive Anon, including one delightfully succint 'Peas'. Remembered, half-remembered, cherished or written on a tea towel, here are some of the nation's favourite comic poems.
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
18 people are currently reading
61 people want to read
About the author
Griff Rhys Jones
36 books4 followersGriffith "Griff" Rhys Jones is a Welsh comedian, writer, actor, television presenter and personality. Jones came to national attention in the early 1980s for his work in the BBC television comedy sketch shows Not the Nine O'Clock News and Alas Smith and Jones along with his comedy partner Mel Smith. With Smith, he founded television production company Talkback Productions, now part of RTL Group. He went on to develop a career as a television presenter and writer, as well as continuing with acting work.
While at Brentwood School he met Douglas Adams (who would later write The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Rhys Jones followed Adams to Cambridge, reading history and English at Emmanuel College. While at university, Jones joined Cambridge Footlights Club (of which he became Vice-President in 1976). He was also president of the ADC (Amateur Dramatic Club) during his time at Cambridge.
He then joined BBC Radio Light Entertainment as a trainee producer, with his output including the satirical show Week Ending and Brain of Britain. An evening planned to spend watching his hero Frankie Howerd at the invitation of friends Clive Anderson and Rory McGrath, who were writing the show at the time, resulted in Rhys Jones replacing the show's producer, who had suffered from a stress-related illness from dealing with the comedian. He later produced Rowan Atkinson's show The Atkinson People for the BBC and has appeared twice on Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Rhys Jones filled in several minor roles in the first series of Not the Nine O'Clock News, and was brought in as a regular cast member from the second series onwards, replacing Chris Langham, alongside Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith and Pamela Stephenson.
In 1981, Smith and Rhys Jones founded TalkBack Productions, a company which has produced many of the most popular British comedy series of the past two decades, including Smack the Pony, Da Ali G Show, I'm Alan Partridge and Big Train. From 1984, Smith and Rhys Jones appeared in the comedy sketch series Alas Smith and Jones (the show's title being a pun on the American TV series Alias Smith and Jones). After the first series, the pair appeared on the big screen in Mike Hodges' sci-fi comedy movie Morons from Outer Space and then in 1989, the LWT production Wilt.
Rhys Jones has developed a career as a television presenter, beginning as the co-host on several Comic Relief programmes. He presented Bookworm from 1994 to 2000 and is the presenter of the BBC's Restoration programme (he began filming its third series at Lincoln Cathedral on 3 June 2006), and has done a considerable amount of fundraising work for the Hackney Empire theatre conservation project. In 2004, he led a demonstration at the Senate House in Cambridge University for the purpose of saving architecture as a degree in Cambridge.
Rhys Jones has written or co-written many of the programmes he has appeared in, and a number of spin-off books. In 2002, he started writing a book called To the Baltic with Bob, describing his adventures on the high seas with his sailing friend Bob, as they make their way to Saint Petersburg, port by port. Rhys Jones released the book in 2003. His early life has been captured in his autobiography, Semi-Detached, published in 2006 by Penguin Books. His book to accompany the BBC1 series Mountain was published in July 2007.
While at Brentwood School he met Douglas Adams (who would later write The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy). Rhys Jones followed Adams to Cambridge, reading history and English at Emmanuel College. While at university, Jones joined Cambridge Footlights Club (of which he became Vice-President in 1976). He was also president of the ADC (Amateur Dramatic Club) during his time at Cambridge.
He then joined BBC Radio Light Entertainment as a trainee producer, with his output including the satirical show Week Ending and Brain of Britain. An evening planned to spend watching his hero Frankie Howerd at the invitation of friends Clive Anderson and Rory McGrath, who were writing the show at the time, resulted in Rhys Jones replacing the show's producer, who had suffered from a stress-related illness from dealing with the comedian. He later produced Rowan Atkinson's show The Atkinson People for the BBC and has appeared twice on Whose Line Is It Anyway?.
Rhys Jones filled in several minor roles in the first series of Not the Nine O'Clock News, and was brought in as a regular cast member from the second series onwards, replacing Chris Langham, alongside Rowan Atkinson, Mel Smith and Pamela Stephenson.
In 1981, Smith and Rhys Jones founded TalkBack Productions, a company which has produced many of the most popular British comedy series of the past two decades, including Smack the Pony, Da Ali G Show, I'm Alan Partridge and Big Train. From 1984, Smith and Rhys Jones appeared in the comedy sketch series Alas Smith and Jones (the show's title being a pun on the American TV series Alias Smith and Jones). After the first series, the pair appeared on the big screen in Mike Hodges' sci-fi comedy movie Morons from Outer Space and then in 1989, the LWT production Wilt.
Rhys Jones has developed a career as a television presenter, beginning as the co-host on several Comic Relief programmes. He presented Bookworm from 1994 to 2000 and is the presenter of the BBC's Restoration programme (he began filming its third series at Lincoln Cathedral on 3 June 2006), and has done a considerable amount of fundraising work for the Hackney Empire theatre conservation project. In 2004, he led a demonstration at the Senate House in Cambridge University for the purpose of saving architecture as a degree in Cambridge.
Rhys Jones has written or co-written many of the programmes he has appeared in, and a number of spin-off books. In 2002, he started writing a book called To the Baltic with Bob, describing his adventures on the high seas with his sailing friend Bob, as they make their way to Saint Petersburg, port by port. Rhys Jones released the book in 2003. His early life has been captured in his autobiography, Semi-Detached, published in 2006 by Penguin Books. His book to accompany the BBC1 series Mountain was published in July 2007.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 11, 2024
very funny but would have preferred it to have been written by spike milligan.
March 13, 2025
Some real laugh out loud funny poems, some ridiculous, some though-provoking. But all are worthy of their spot in this book.
February 4, 2023
The words ‘comic poems’ will either cause a reader to sit up in excitement, or else cause the heart to sink. Sadly too many comic poems are not really that funny, and they are often written in a twee and self-consciously humorous manner that is more irksome than charming.
I am not sure if this collection is The Nation’s Favourite Comic Poems, as the introduction by Griff Rhys Jones suggests that a poll had not yet taken place. Or were these the results added after he wrote the introduction? Either way we have the advantage of having some carefully selected comic poems that spare us the need to read a book written by one writer who erroneously thinks that their poems are comical, or indeed poems.
One or two choices may seem strange, and not especially comic. The Louis MacNeice poem is satirical, but was it intended to be funny? I’m not sure. Otherwise we may be certain of such stalwart favourites as Hilaire Belloc, Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear. More modern poets such as Wendy Cope get a look.
Others may be a matter of taste. Do you share the love of Roger McGough’s humorous style, or does it grate? Does the folksy humour of Pam Ayres appeal to you, or is she annoying? Actually one of her poems here is strangely poignant. A few of the poems may not seem to merit a place if you don’t consider the writer a poet. Victoria Wood? Spike Milligan? Joyce Grenfell? Stanley Holloway?
It may depend on your level of tolerance, but we do have Shakespeare, John Donne, W H Auden, E E Cummings, T S Eliot, A E Housman, John Keats, Alexander Pope and the Earl of Rochester for those of that like serious poets, albeit during their unbuttoned moments.
Since these are the comic poems that have the broadest appeal, it is worth asking what makes a great comic poem. Curiously it is not the qualities that make the best comic prose. Epigrams are possible, but jokes and witty phrases do not seem to translate well into poetry as a rule. Wordplay such as puns is also notably in short supply here.
In terms of content, the poet should either aim for the absurdly mundane or the outlandishly surreal. Those seem to be the most likely subjects to catch people’s attention. Readers enjoy something that they can relate to, or something that rests on imaginative and possible flights of fantasy. Anything inbetween makes for a trickier subject.
Looking at style, rhythm is important. The best form of rhythm is the most old-fashioned, that in which syllables alternate between stressed and silent. These lends the poems a sing-song quality that makes them easy to recite, and therefore easier to remember.
Long words are best avoided unless they are funny words. Language should be plain. However throwing in entirely made-up words is acceptable and even desirable. While wordplay of the punning kind is out, audacious rhymes will delight the reader. Unexpected twists will also lend your poem a little excitement.
I imagine that the best comic poets are those who understand that which sounds funnier – certain consonants, or combinations of letters. Sadly I am not enough of a linguistic to say which ones.
Whatever the magic quality that makes a great comic poem, this selection contains plenty of good examples for you to analyse. The essential lesson here though is not to try to make the reader laugh but simply to delight and surprise them with your use of language.
I am not sure if this collection is The Nation’s Favourite Comic Poems, as the introduction by Griff Rhys Jones suggests that a poll had not yet taken place. Or were these the results added after he wrote the introduction? Either way we have the advantage of having some carefully selected comic poems that spare us the need to read a book written by one writer who erroneously thinks that their poems are comical, or indeed poems.
One or two choices may seem strange, and not especially comic. The Louis MacNeice poem is satirical, but was it intended to be funny? I’m not sure. Otherwise we may be certain of such stalwart favourites as Hilaire Belloc, Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear. More modern poets such as Wendy Cope get a look.
Others may be a matter of taste. Do you share the love of Roger McGough’s humorous style, or does it grate? Does the folksy humour of Pam Ayres appeal to you, or is she annoying? Actually one of her poems here is strangely poignant. A few of the poems may not seem to merit a place if you don’t consider the writer a poet. Victoria Wood? Spike Milligan? Joyce Grenfell? Stanley Holloway?
It may depend on your level of tolerance, but we do have Shakespeare, John Donne, W H Auden, E E Cummings, T S Eliot, A E Housman, John Keats, Alexander Pope and the Earl of Rochester for those of that like serious poets, albeit during their unbuttoned moments.
Since these are the comic poems that have the broadest appeal, it is worth asking what makes a great comic poem. Curiously it is not the qualities that make the best comic prose. Epigrams are possible, but jokes and witty phrases do not seem to translate well into poetry as a rule. Wordplay such as puns is also notably in short supply here.
In terms of content, the poet should either aim for the absurdly mundane or the outlandishly surreal. Those seem to be the most likely subjects to catch people’s attention. Readers enjoy something that they can relate to, or something that rests on imaginative and possible flights of fantasy. Anything inbetween makes for a trickier subject.
Looking at style, rhythm is important. The best form of rhythm is the most old-fashioned, that in which syllables alternate between stressed and silent. These lends the poems a sing-song quality that makes them easy to recite, and therefore easier to remember.
Long words are best avoided unless they are funny words. Language should be plain. However throwing in entirely made-up words is acceptable and even desirable. While wordplay of the punning kind is out, audacious rhymes will delight the reader. Unexpected twists will also lend your poem a little excitement.
I imagine that the best comic poets are those who understand that which sounds funnier – certain consonants, or combinations of letters. Sadly I am not enough of a linguistic to say which ones.
Whatever the magic quality that makes a great comic poem, this selection contains plenty of good examples for you to analyse. The essential lesson here though is not to try to make the reader laugh but simply to delight and surprise them with your use of language.
May 7, 2020
This was a charming collection of various humorous poems from a range of writers and historical periods, with some more prolific comedic poets having more than one entry.
Allow me to pick out a few personal highlights. Spike Milligan, whose surreal comic writing for the Goons I greatly admire, naturally made an appearance. I was also very pleased to see Victoria Wood's song "Saturday Night" - which, being a Northern English woman, I particularly relish, and which resulted in a little acapella karaoke session. An extract from Lewis Carroll's "The Hunting of the Snark", which I studied at university and which is often overshadowed by Alice, is another treasure in mock-epic form.
Interestingly, the book also opened my eyes to how little of Edward Lear I've read, which I now intend to remedy. "The Owl and the Pussycat" has been a favourite from childhood, and I've seen one or two of his distinctive limericks, but here, I found myself enchanted by "The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bó", where nonsense verse is perfectly utilised to convey a rather tragic and touching tale of love.
This book is a great introduction to comic verse in general, and with such a wide range, there's bound to be one or two pieces to tickle the funny bones of any reader.
Allow me to pick out a few personal highlights. Spike Milligan, whose surreal comic writing for the Goons I greatly admire, naturally made an appearance. I was also very pleased to see Victoria Wood's song "Saturday Night" - which, being a Northern English woman, I particularly relish, and which resulted in a little acapella karaoke session. An extract from Lewis Carroll's "The Hunting of the Snark", which I studied at university and which is often overshadowed by Alice, is another treasure in mock-epic form.
Interestingly, the book also opened my eyes to how little of Edward Lear I've read, which I now intend to remedy. "The Owl and the Pussycat" has been a favourite from childhood, and I've seen one or two of his distinctive limericks, but here, I found myself enchanted by "The Courtship of the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bó", where nonsense verse is perfectly utilised to convey a rather tragic and touching tale of love.
This book is a great introduction to comic verse in general, and with such a wide range, there's bound to be one or two pieces to tickle the funny bones of any reader.
May 6, 2024
Had it in the house for years. Disappointing. I only found about two poems in the whole book funny. Not sure if this is because it hasn't aged well, or because (in many cases) familiarity reduces how funny something is, or because I have some perverse aversion to things that are introduced up front as being funny. Or possibly some other reason, who knows.
Some poems are very good but they don't actually make me laugh out loud. The one about the housewife who is looking forward to a rest after death, for example: is it only a man who can find that hilarious? I don't know, perhaps I am just turning into a grumpy old woman. I don't even find Jenny Joseph's poem very funny, and I used to like and admire that poem very much.
I probably would have enjoyed the collection a lot more with a different title and no introduction, to be honest - but then again, it was the title and the fact it was introduced by Griff Rhys Jones that had prompted me to buy it when I did.
Some poems are very good but they don't actually make me laugh out loud. The one about the housewife who is looking forward to a rest after death, for example: is it only a man who can find that hilarious? I don't know, perhaps I am just turning into a grumpy old woman. I don't even find Jenny Joseph's poem very funny, and I used to like and admire that poem very much.
I probably would have enjoyed the collection a lot more with a different title and no introduction, to be honest - but then again, it was the title and the fact it was introduced by Griff Rhys Jones that had prompted me to buy it when I did.
August 16, 2024
Maybe things have progressed since 1998 but this book manages only 8 poems from 6 female poets (2 of whom are more known as comedic actresses/singers), yet manages to dig up poems from men born in the 1700s. Plus ça change…
Also, nonsense poetry is by definition ‘not serious’, but that doesn’t necessarily make it funny.
Also, nonsense poetry is by definition ‘not serious’, but that doesn’t necessarily make it funny.
October 22, 2019
A good selection of verses and glad to see John Agard if only the one included. A bit wasted on myself as I could probably recite any that piqued my interest already but a good start to get the weans going. Is it cheating to put the Hippopotamus Song in the anthology though? Ah well.
March 3, 2020
I’d like to see this updated, a new collection for the millennium. The poetry lacks the vibrancy of new poets and there are so few women’s voices in there.
Enough great humour to have me chuckling and help get over the misogynistic inclusions and omissions!
Enough great humour to have me chuckling and help get over the misogynistic inclusions and omissions!
February 13, 2022
Great selection of poetry and a lot of it was very funny. Classics and modern with the odd comedian thrown in the mix - Victoria Woods poem especially funny. The last poem in the book I completely enjoyed by Benjamin Zephaniah;
Turkey's like getting presents, dey wanna watch Christmas TV
Turkey's like getting presents, dey wanna watch Christmas TV
December 8, 2024
As with most compilations, this was a mixed bag. I found a couple of old favourites, and one or two new ones. But Humour is very subjective, and there were many here that I didn't find amusing at all. I was disappointed not to find Charles Causley's 'Colonel Fazackerly' included.
January 23, 2018
Thoroughly enjoyable read. The poems were both funny and sometimes very challenging. There are numerous gems to which I will return.
August 18, 2018
Witty poems, clever poems, some poems which surely are deeply serious - but comic, no. Poetry can't be comic - humorous, maybe? Whatever.
August 4, 2020
I've had this on the shelf for years. Pretty good collection. Not too short. Good variety. Worth picking up from a charity shop if you see a copy kicking around.
October 5, 2020
Some mildly amusing, some laugh out loud funny, nearly all familiar to me. Comforting like a warm bath!
July 19, 2021
This is my favourite poetry book of all time. It is stock fill of gems. It is just perfect. enjoy!
March 30, 2024
Great collection of poems that make you laugh and chuckle.
October 25, 2025
So there was a handful of these I liked, most of which were in my favourite poetry book growing up so more nostalgic than good, but still a decent enough way to kill an hour or two.
February 13, 2017
The Pig
It was an evening in November,
As I very well remember,
I was strolling down the street in drunken pride,
But my knees were all a-flutter,
And I landed in the gutter
And a pig came up and lay down by my side.
Yes, I lay there in the gutter
Thinking thoughts I could not utter,
When a colleen passing by did softly say
‘You can tell a man who boozes
By the company he chooses’—
And the pig got up and slowly walked away.
***
So, just to give a taste of what kind of poems to expect from the book. I enjoyed some more than other.
It was an evening in November,
As I very well remember,
I was strolling down the street in drunken pride,
But my knees were all a-flutter,
And I landed in the gutter
And a pig came up and lay down by my side.
Yes, I lay there in the gutter
Thinking thoughts I could not utter,
When a colleen passing by did softly say
‘You can tell a man who boozes
By the company he chooses’—
And the pig got up and slowly walked away.
***
So, just to give a taste of what kind of poems to expect from the book. I enjoyed some more than other.
Read
May 22, 2008"Not sure I can add much to Birchmore's review. [return][return]The selection is excellent, covering old and new. A great pick me up, as you find yourself laughing out loud at many of the poems. Although everyone's sense of humour is not the same, there should be something for everyone here."
September 3, 2016
A pretty mundane collection of 108 comic (?) poems. Eclectic to a fault, I thought a quarter fitted the definition and brought a smile.
October 13, 2012
I've enjoyed having this book as my companion when out and about. Not only are there some great poems but I was reminded how pleasurable familiar poems can be.
July 24, 2020
An excellent selection, varying lengths and topics of poetry, from various historic periods.
Good to dip into when you want to pass an idle few minutes.
Good to dip into when you want to pass an idle few minutes.
April 4, 2017
Well, there's not a huge amount to say about this collection - the book cover literally says it all! There are a huge variety of poems in different forms and of different ages, all written to raise a smile or make you chuckle out loud. I would usually list my favourites now, but there were just too many enjoyable verses to remember them all. Definitely worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews