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Nonsense
'You elegant fowl!'
Exuberant and ingenious, Lear's best-loved poems tell of jumblies, quangle wangles and luminous noses.
One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.
Exuberant and ingenious, Lear's best-loved poems tell of jumblies, quangle wangles and luminous noses.
One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.
56 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1846
7 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Edward Lear
762 books207 followersEdward Lear was an English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, who is known mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and especially his limericks, a form he popularised.
His principal areas of work as an artist were threefold: as a draughtsman employed to make illustrations of birds and animals; making coloured drawings during his journeys, which he reworked later, sometimes as plates for his travel books; and as a (minor) illustrator of Alfred Tennyson's poems.
As an author, he is known principally for his popular nonsense collections of poems, songs, short stories, botanical drawings, recipes and alphabets. He also composed and published twelve musical settings of Tennyson's poetry.
His principal areas of work as an artist were threefold: as a draughtsman employed to make illustrations of birds and animals; making coloured drawings during his journeys, which he reworked later, sometimes as plates for his travel books; and as a (minor) illustrator of Alfred Tennyson's poems.
As an author, he is known principally for his popular nonsense collections of poems, songs, short stories, botanical drawings, recipes and alphabets. He also composed and published twelve musical settings of Tennyson's poetry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 12, 2022
Verses of nonsense
If you like to eat mince
Dine on quince
Then it is for you
If you like to eat mince
Dine on quince
Then it is for you
October 5, 2017
'Nonsense' is probably the perfect title for this selection of Lear's poetry, it was, indeed, utter nonsense. It's not just the fact that his poems didn't make any sense and were imo super pointless, no, they were also quite badly written.
Getting into this collection, I expected poems of Carroll's caliber. Huge mistake. Even though both men are similar in their approach, Carroll excels at writing whimsical and nonsensual poems, that acutally make you think. Just read his collection Frabjous Day and you'll see what I am talking about. Lear, however, didn't challenge me intellectually at all. I am sure that one can read many things into his poetry, but he didn't spark any desire in me to do so.
He seemed to be writing about animals, some of which exist in real life and some of which sprang from his own fantasy, but the narrative never went anywhere. A duck travelling with a kangaroo, the Jumblies going to sea in a sieve, two old bachelors being unable to support themselves. The poems wasn't relatable, and unfortunately, didn't mirror my sense of humour. I am sure that if you'll share Lear's humour, you'll get a lot out of his poetry, but poems like The Akond of Swat acutally kept me gritting my teeth instead of laughing joyfully:
The only poem I found somewhat charming was The Scroobious Pip because it reminded me of Carroll's Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this collection of peotry, even if you're into nonsense works and limericks, there are much better ones out there.
Getting into this collection, I expected poems of Carroll's caliber. Huge mistake. Even though both men are similar in their approach, Carroll excels at writing whimsical and nonsensual poems, that acutally make you think. Just read his collection Frabjous Day and you'll see what I am talking about. Lear, however, didn't challenge me intellectually at all. I am sure that one can read many things into his poetry, but he didn't spark any desire in me to do so.
He seemed to be writing about animals, some of which exist in real life and some of which sprang from his own fantasy, but the narrative never went anywhere. A duck travelling with a kangaroo, the Jumblies going to sea in a sieve, two old bachelors being unable to support themselves. The poems wasn't relatable, and unfortunately, didn't mirror my sense of humour. I am sure that if you'll share Lear's humour, you'll get a lot out of his poetry, but poems like The Akond of Swat acutally kept me gritting my teeth instead of laughing joyfully:
Who, or why, or which, or what, Is the Akond of SWAT?The poem continues in this fashion for 20 fucking more lines... It's a no from me. ;)
Is he tall or short, or dark or fair?
Does he sit on a stool or a sofa or a chair, or SQUAT,
The Akond of Swat.
Is he wise or foolish, young or old?
Does he drink his soup and his coffe cold, or HOT,
The Akond of Swat?
The only poem I found somewhat charming was The Scroobious Pip because it reminded me of Carroll's Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
In conclusion, I wouldn't recommend this collection of peotry, even if you're into nonsense works and limericks, there are much better ones out there.
June 26, 2019
Finally, a Little Black Classics poetry collection I can say I love. No intellectual stimulation, no interpretation, no smoke and mirrors. Just some simple, joyful, smile inducing nonsense poems.
I spent a lovely half hour reading these, and couldn’t help the grin spreading across my face. Lear’s ridiculous words have a strange kind of magic attached to them - I truly believe he could warm a cold, dead heart.
“The Scroobius Pip looked vaguely round
And sang these words with a rumbling sound -
‘Chippetty Flip - Flippetty Chip -
My only name is the Scroobius Pip.”
I spent a lovely half hour reading these, and couldn’t help the grin spreading across my face. Lear’s ridiculous words have a strange kind of magic attached to them - I truly believe he could warm a cold, dead heart.
“The Scroobius Pip looked vaguely round
And sang these words with a rumbling sound -
‘Chippetty Flip - Flippetty Chip -
My only name is the Scroobius Pip.”
March 30, 2020
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This was utter nonsense!
I guess the title should have given fair warning, but I was still surprised at it. Maybe I was missing a lot, but I could not get anything out of these poems and was just hoping the book would finish quickly.
Really not my cup of tea.
~Little Black Classics 100~
This was utter nonsense!
I guess the title should have given fair warning, but I was still surprised at it. Maybe I was missing a lot, but I could not get anything out of these poems and was just hoping the book would finish quickly.
Really not my cup of tea.
~Little Black Classics 100~
May 29, 2022
I don't think reading poetry is my thing. I didn't understand it. I didn't want to put in the effort to. It's not the book, it's me.
May 10, 2017
If it were not for Edward Lear we would never have had some of the most beloved rhymes, verse or limericks that have undoubtably stayed with us from childhood. This little sampler is highly recommended it's so full of pleasure and amusement that I think you will enjoy it beyond measure, in fact, I enjoyed it enough that just flicking though it made me run to my local Waterstone to pick up the complete edition.
December 31, 2019
This is a collection of poems which have different lengths that I heard about during victober and I am pleased now that I red it. Some are more interesting than the others.
I liked it as my last finished book in 2019 and I recommend it.
I liked it as my last finished book in 2019 and I recommend it.
December 31, 2019
I'm obviously not refined enough to enjoy this. Just found it irritating. Given it 2 stars because a couple of the poems amused me, such as one about a man whose outfit is made of food and gets eaten by wild animals and children until he is naked.
November 8, 2020
Oh, this is definitely a ‘No’ from me.
I’ve seen a few people say that the title should have given them some indication as to the quality of the works included in this collection, and I have to say I am in full agreement.
I’ve seen a few people say that the title should have given them some indication as to the quality of the works included in this collection, and I have to say I am in full agreement.
December 10, 2022
This was a delight to read and I feel if I wasn't a literature student I wouldn't have liked it as much. I couldn't help but pinpoint all of the imagery, metaphores, sound systems, foregrounding it was very fun.
June 5, 2017
A really fun and quick read. One or two poems actually made me laugh out loud.
February 15, 2020
Truth be told I understood little. And what little I understood I rarely enjoyed.
May 6, 2020
Lovely piece of wonderful nonsense.
April 11, 2021
the joy this brought me is!! immeasurable!!
February 9, 2022
not really a fan of classics.
Read
February 26, 2022The title says it all.
October 4, 2022
This was such fun!
February 11, 2023
A most appropriate title.
May 4, 2024
Not too bad,
May 28, 2024
Fascinada.
Aunque no me gusta mucho el non sense, debo reconocer que los juegos con las palabras, el lenguaje y los significados es muy buena (teniendo en cuenta, además, que es una traducción)
Aunque no me gusta mucho el non sense, debo reconocer que los juegos con las palabras, el lenguaje y los significados es muy buena (teniendo en cuenta, además, que es una traducción)
December 18, 2024
“𝘈𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘢, 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱!”
3.5 stars, i don't understand this genre of poetry (i don't understand poetry tbh) but whatever, didn't enjoy this one.
3.5 stars, i don't understand this genre of poetry (i don't understand poetry tbh) but whatever, didn't enjoy this one.
January 10, 2025
Sweet but very nonsensical.
December 29, 2025
3 stars. You're in the middle of the pyramid, good but I'm waiting for you to be great.
January 12, 2026
The Owl and the Pussycat is bay far the best poem!
November 21, 2019
This book is nonsense, but enjoyable nonsense.
July 27, 2023
I believe this is a collection of poems from his Nonsense Songs, Stories, Botany, and Alphabets (1871) and Laughable Lyrics (1877). This collection does not contain his limericks.
These nonsense poems were frankly quite silly and delightful, 8/10. My favourites were The Akond of Swat, The New Vestments, and The Two Old Bachelors.
"By way of a hat, he’d a loaf of Brown Bread,
In the middle of which he inserted his head;
His Shirt was made up of no end of dead Mice,
The warmth of whose skins was quite fluffy and nice;
His Drawers were of Rabbit-skins, so were his Shoes;
His Stockings were skins, but it is not known whose;
His Waistcoat and Trowsers were made of Pork Chops;
His Buttons were Jujubes, and Chocolate Drops;
His Coat was all Pancakes with Jam for a border,
And a girdle of Biscuits to keep it in order;
And he wore over all, as a screen from bad weather,
A Cloak of green Cabbage-leaves stitched all together."
These nonsense poems were frankly quite silly and delightful, 8/10. My favourites were The Akond of Swat, The New Vestments, and The Two Old Bachelors.
"By way of a hat, he’d a loaf of Brown Bread,
In the middle of which he inserted his head;
His Shirt was made up of no end of dead Mice,
The warmth of whose skins was quite fluffy and nice;
His Drawers were of Rabbit-skins, so were his Shoes;
His Stockings were skins, but it is not known whose;
His Waistcoat and Trowsers were made of Pork Chops;
His Buttons were Jujubes, and Chocolate Drops;
His Coat was all Pancakes with Jam for a border,
And a girdle of Biscuits to keep it in order;
And he wore over all, as a screen from bad weather,
A Cloak of green Cabbage-leaves stitched all together."
December 31, 2016
My final book of 2016 and quite apt that it is titled 'Nonsense'. Beautiful, rambling rhyme that delighted me as a child and still does. To see the year out, I will paraphrase...
I sat upon my Dobie,
To watch the Evening Star,
And all the Punkahs as they passed,
Cried, 'My! How fair you are!'
Around my bower, with quivering leaves,
The tall Kamsamahs grew,
And Kitmugars in wild festoons
Hung down from Tchokis blue.
Here's to more avid reading in 2017.
I sat upon my Dobie,
To watch the Evening Star,
And all the Punkahs as they passed,
Cried, 'My! How fair you are!'
Around my bower, with quivering leaves,
The tall Kamsamahs grew,
And Kitmugars in wild festoons
Hung down from Tchokis blue.
Here's to more avid reading in 2017.
December 14, 2018
Nonsense poetry is so comforting :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews