Poem of the Day - Part 28

One, Two, Buckle My Shoe

This nursery rhyme was first published in 1805.  The words for "Thirteen, fourteen" and beyond have multiple variants and mostly refer to maids.  A typical version goes:

Thirteen, fourteen, maids a-courting

Fifteen, sixteen, maids in the kitchen

Seventeen, eighteen, maids a-waiting

Nineteen, twenty, my stomach's empty

  

Of course, in this blog we're not very interested in maids, and these words don't rhyme very well, either.  I have used the traditional words up to "Eleven, twelve", but from thirteen on, I have taken the liberty of substituting different words.  And my words rhyme better.

One, two, buckle my shoe.  (Yes, I know he's tying it, not buckling it.  So, sue me.)

Three, four, shut the door.

Five, six, pick up sticks.

Seven, eight, lay them straight.

Nine, ten, a big fat hen.

Eleven, twelve, dig and delve.

Thirteen, fourteen, some have short peen.  (This is where I've started changing the words.)

Fifteen, sixteen, wash your dicks clean.

Seventeen, eighteen, join the bate team.

Nineteen, twenty, I've got plenty.