by heart

There are very few things that are not set to song that I have memorized. However, put it to music, and I remember the words for an irritatingly long time. The few exceptions to this rule seem to be Jack Prelutsky poems. They have a meter that is almost sing-song, and they're funny enough that I easily remember most of my favorites, though I've not read them in over a decade. I was able to recite these two to my friend this morning while at Barnes & Noble, then promptly bought the book. I want Blake to get a head start on how to use poetry to charm others... because he has no other tools in that particular arsenal.

The New Kid on the Block
There's a new kid on the block,
and boy, that kid is tough.
That new kid punches hard,
that new kid plays real rough,
that new kid's big and strong,
with muscles everywhere,
that new kid tweaked my arm,
that new kid pulled my hair.

That new kid likes to fight,
and picks on all the guys,
that new kid scares me some
(that new kid's twice my size),
that new kid stomped my toes,
that new kid swiped my ball,
that new kid's really bad,
I don't care for her at all.

I am Running in a Circle
I am running in a circle
and my feet are getting sore,
and my head is
spinning
spinning
as it's never spun before,
I am
dizzy
dizzy
dizzy.
Oh! I cannot bear much more,
I am trapped in a revolving
...volving
...volving
...volving door!