Tuesday, May 18, 2010

The King's Breakfast

On Sunday Poetry Please gave us a real treat – a perfect performance by Bonnie Hurren of AA Milne’s poem The King’s Breakfast .


‘Nobody,’
He whimpered,
‘Could call me
A fussy man;
I only want
A little bit
Of butter for
My bread!’

A teacher told of introducing the poem to a class of ‘difficult’ children, then carrying it over into the art class & asking them to draw a picture; the overwhelming majority chose to show the king sliding down the banisters.

I also strongly suspect that it was collective national subliminal memory which made that sneaked photo of Queen Elizabeth II's breakfast table so shocking – the silver porringer had been replaced by Tupperware.

The King's Breakfast can be heard on Listen Again for the next 11 days but not, unfortunately, downloaded.


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