A.A. Milne (1882–1956) hardly needs an introduction. “Winnie the Pooh” is so well known it may have worn out its welcome. But his 1924 collection of children’s poems, “When We Were Very Young,” remains a classic, and the best of the poems in it may well be “Disobedience.” The first joke of Milne’s poem, delightful for children, is that it is the mother who disobeys her child. The second joke, for adults knowledgeable about poetry, is that the lines are recreations, with stresses, of Latin hexameter in spondees (– –) and dactyls (– u u).

Disobedience
by A.A. Milne

James James 
Morrison Morrison 
Weatherby George Dupree 
Took great 
Care of his Mother, 
Though he was only three. 
James James Said to his Mother, 
“Mother,” he said, said he; 
“You must never go down 
to the end of the town, 
if you don’t go down with me.” 

James James 
Morrison’s Mother 
Put on a golden gown. 
James James Morrison’s Mother 
Drove to the end of the town. 
James James Morrison’s Mother 
Said to herself, said she: 
“I can get right down 
to the end of the town 
and be back in time for tea.” 

King John 
Put up a notice, 
“LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED! 
JAMES JAMES MORRISON’S MOTHER 
SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID. 
LAST SEEN 
WANDERING VAGUELY: 
QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD, 
SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN 
TO THE END OF THE TOWN – 
FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD!” 

James James 
Morrison Morrison 
(Commonly known as Jim) 
Told his 
Other relations 
Not to go blaming him. 
James James 
Said to his Mother, 
“Mother,” he said, said he: 
“You must never go down to the end of the town 
without consulting me.” 

James James 
Morrison’s mother 
Hasn’t been heard of since. 
King John said he was sorry, 
So did the Queen and Prince. 
King John 
(Somebody told me) 
Said to a man he knew: 
“If people go down to the end of the town, well, 
what can anyone do?” 

(Now then, very softly) 
J.J. 
M.M. 
W.G.Du P. 
Took great 
C/O his M***** 
Though he was only 3. 
J.J. said to his M***** 
“M*****,” he said, said he: 
“You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town- 
if-you-don’t-go-down-with-ME!”

___________________________________________ 

With “Poem of the Day,” The New York Sun offers a daily portion of verse selected by Joseph Bottum with the help of the North Carolina poet Sally Thomas, the Sun’s associate poetry editor. Tied to the day, or the season, or just individual taste, the poems will be typically drawn from the lesser-known portion of the history of English verse. In the coming months we will be reaching out to contemporary poets for examples of current, primarily formalist work, to show that poetry can still serve as a delight to the ear, an instruction to the mind, and a tonic for the soul.