Sunday, November 4, 2012

Untrue Blue


FOR BLUE MONDAY

UNTRUE BLUE

"The quintessential British bird"
Do I hear you say,
"Fluttering over the white cliffs
in a memorable way".
Who hasn't heard the famous song
That was written in the war
When the British were suffering
And couldn't take much more?
It was sung by Vera Lynn,
A songstress of the time,
Whose voice had a certain timbre
Considered quite sublime.
I remember singing it
When I was only young.
People were really moved by it
Whenever it was sung.
And yet and yet, oh dearie me,
How we were misled!
A bluebird isn't British,
It's American instead!
And the song wasn't even home-grown,
It was written in the USA
So all in all it's a ditty
That has terrible feet of clay.
How many patriotic Britons
Have gone all misty-eyed
Over a song which in a way
Looked at us and lied!
But I bet if you played it to me now
Truth wouldn't be the issue.
I'd still feel patriotic
And probably need a tissue.

A recent picture of Vera Lynn near 'The White Cliffs of Dover."
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image


THE REWARD

'Virtue is its own reward'!
What a Victorian saying!
I hear the words of a stern Mama
When offspring suggest straying.
What a very different age it was!
And, oh, how times have changed!
Say it to anyone young today
And they'll think you are deranged!
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1 comment:

Margaret Gosden said...

The Dame looks very good at 95!