Emma H
‘Look, is that who I think?
Brian Brinck from the ice-skating rink.
Brian, you’re such a careful chap.
Why’d you leave the tap
Running in the sink?’
‘Oh,’ said Brian, ‘not for long.
The stories they tell are all wrong.
Just a splash, nothing more,
Bit of water on the floor
-‘bout a cup –
Mopped it up,
Got it done in a wink,’
Said Brian Brinck.
With disappointment all around,
The ladies soon were homeward bound.
Brian Brinck
Annie MG Shmidt translated by David Colmer
"Hello, Mrs Hughes,
Have you heard the news?
Brian Brinck from the ice-skating rink
left the tap running in the sink.
It ran for an hour and a quarter.
The kitchen was all under water.
Can you imagine the scene?
He’d just had it cleaned.
Tsk, tsk, tsk.’
‘Hello, Mrs Glossop,
Have you heard the gossip?
Brian Brink
From the ice-skating rink
Left the tap running in the sink.
It ran for a day and a half.
The house was as full as a bath.
Just imagine the mess!
Chairs were floating, no less.’
‘Hello, Mrs Faye,
Have you heard what they say?
Brian Brink
From the ice-skating rink
Left the tap running in the sink.
Six weeks unabated,
The whole street was inundated.
Just imagine the mess!
Cars were floating, no less.’
‘Hello, Mrs Rafter,
Have you heard ‘bout the disaster?
Brian Brink
From the ice-skating rink
Left the tap running in the sink.
Five months unabated,
The whole town was inundated.
Just imagine it: five!
No one survived!’
My favorite poem is ‘Brian Brinck’ because I love how there is gossip. One person hears news and passes it on, but slightly changed so it gets worse and worse, like Chinese whispers when sometimes you hear something different to what was said in the beginning. At the end of the poem all the ladies go home disappointed when they find out what really happened. What I love the most is the way it rhymes because it flows in a fast and fun way, for example, “…It ran for an hour and a quarter. The kitchen was all underwater!’ This poem was originally in Dutch and is by Annie M.G. Schmidt. I have the book A Pond full of Ink, which is a collection of lots of her fantastic poems translated into English by David Colmer.