Brent River Bride Poem by Linda Hepner

Brent River Bride

Rating: 5.0


Flow proudly fair river,
For one who fell under
Your spell was the liver
Doc, Gershon - asunder
Found all his plans, muddled
By nymphs of the water -
He greatly befuddled
Then married the daughter
Of Count Joe of Wandle
Far south of the city
And went on to fondle
Her milk flowing titty.
I send this wet letter
To Brentische planners;
Such amour is better
Than yekkishe manners.

LRH
6.5.06 In reply to GWH's Bride of Brent of 6.5.06

Bride of Brent

Unlike Lucia from far Lammermoor,
fair Linda, hailing from far Chaumonix,
excels when she’s preparing salmon or
deep-frying spuds and spinach that aren’t gammony.

She tried to keep the frog which wooing went
outside the net she guarded as a goalie
till she became the Bride of River Brent
and played the role of Princess Rowley-Powley.

The frog, he always used to say “Heigh-ho, '
because he knew that he could never find a
more lovely princess once she’d kissed him so
he was more charmed than Chaumonix by Linda.

Inspired by Linda, who married me at the Brent Bridge Hotel in August 1996, and by “A frog he would a-wooing go”: [Old folk song].

A Frog he would a-wooing go,
Heigho! says Rowley,
Whether his mother would let him or no.
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

So off he set with his opera hat,
Heigho! says Rowley,
And on the way he met with a Rat.
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

'Now pray, Mr. Rat, won't you come with me, '
Heigho! says Rowley,
'Kind Mrs. Mousey for to see? '
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

And when they came to Mousey's hall,
Heigho! says Rowley,
They gave a knock and they gave a call.
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

'Pray, Mrs. Mouse, are you within? '
Heigho! says Rowley,
'Yes, kind sirs, I'm sitting to spin.'
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

'Pray, Mrs. Mouse, will you give us some beer? '
Heigho! says Rowley,
'For Froggy and I are fond of good cheer.'
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach.
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

'Pray, Mr. Frog, will you give us a song? '
Heigho! says Rowley,
'But let it be something that's not very long.'
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

'Indeed, Mrs. Mouse, ' replied the frog,
Heigho! says Rowley,
'A cold has made me as hoarse as a hog.'
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

'Since you have caught cold, Mr. Frog, ' Mousey said,
Heigho! says Rowley,
'I'll sing you a song that I have just made.'
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

But while they were all a merry-making,
Heigho! says Rowley,
A cat and her kittens came tumbling in.
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

The cat she seized the rat by the crown;
Heigho! says Rowley,
And the kittens pulled the little mouse down.
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

This put Mr. Frog in a terrible fright,
Heigho! says Rowley,
He put on his hat, and he wished them goodnight.
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

But as Mr. Frog was crossing the brook,
Heigho! says Rowley,
A lily-white duck came and gobbled him up.
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

So there was an end of one, two, and three,
Heigho! says Rowley,
The rat, the mouse, and little froggee!
With a rowley, powley, gammon and spinach,
Heigho! says Anthony Rowley.

© 2006 Gershon Hepner 6/5/06

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success