Introduction

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.

Poets and Selections

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 succinct Peas.

Final Thoughts

Remembered, half-remembered, cherished or written on a tea towel, here are some of the nation’s favourite comic poems.