Sunday, 22 December 2013

There Was a Crooked Man

There Was a Crooked Man








There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile.
He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile.
He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse,
And they all lived together in a little crooked house.

Written: Unknown 
Published: c.1842

The origin of this poem comes from the Stuart era of English history of King Charles I. 

The "crooked man" in this poem is generally regarded to be the Scottish General Sir Alexander Leslie who signed a Covenant (c.1638) securing both religious and political freedom for Scotland. 

The "crooked stile" referred to in the poem alluded to the border between England and Scotland.

And finally the line: "They all lived together in a little crooked house" refers to the fact the English and the Scots had finally come to an agreement.

The words of this poem reflect a time in history when there was great animosity between the English and the Scots. 

1 comment:

  1. There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile
    He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile
    He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse
    And they all lived together in a little crooked house


    He met a crooked woman and he found a crooked preach
    They had a crooked marriage on a crooked little beach
    They had some crooked children and they lived a crooked life
    The crooked man, the cat, the mouse, the children and the wife


    They were happy for a number of crookedly long years
    Lived a life of crooked happiness, no worries and no fears
    Until one day the crooked wife upset the crooked man
    He yelled a crooked yell and then he hit her and he ran


    The crooked man came again at the stroke of twelve
    That was when their crooked life became a living hell
    There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile
    And when he killed his wife and kids he smiled a crooked smile

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