The Owl and the Pussy-Cat

by Edward Lear

Edward Lear published this charming poem in his collection, Lear's Nonsense Drolleries: The Owl and the Pussy Cat and the Duck and the Kangaroo, illustrated by William Foster (1889). It remains a favorite for early readers to build confidence.


  




THE Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat,
They took some honey, and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.



The Owl looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,

"O lovely Pussy! O Pussy, my love,
What a beautiful Pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!"



Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl!
How charmingly sweet you sing!

O let us be married! too long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?"



They sailed away for a year and a day,
To the land where the Bong-tree grows,

And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.



"Dear Pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling
Your ring?" Said the Piggy, "I will."



So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.

They dinèd on mince, and slices of quince
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;



And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.