Once there was an elephant,
Who tried to use the telephant—
No! no! I mean an elephone
Who tried to use the telephone—
(Dear me! I am not certain quite
That even now I've got it right.)
Howe'er it was, he got his trunk
Entangled in the telephunk;
The more he tried to get it free,
The louder buzzed the telephee—
(I fear I'd better drop the song
Of elephop and telephong!)
Eletelephony by Laura Elizabeth Richards • 16 poems by Laura Elizabeth RichardsEdit
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Laura Elizabeth Richards was born February 27, 1850, Boston, Massachusetts. Her father was a social reformer who later gained fame as an abolitionist and was the founder of the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts school for the blind. Her mother was the poet Julia Ward Howe who is best known as the author of "Battle Hymn of the Republic".
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Eletelephony
From guest Karla (contact)
I remember my mom teaching this to my sisters my brother and I when we were kids im 50 now and will each it to my grandkids- From guest Tonda (contact)
I am 51 and I love this as much as I did in the 4th grade all those years ago! Title
From guest Kim C (contact)
Wasn't it called Elephony? I remember this from the text Adventure's Await from Grade 1 or 2 - New Brunswick, Canada.for guest 'confused 10 year old'
You just read a tongue-twister. This was used a lot in school many years ago to help children to remember their 'phonetics' and purely just for the pleasure of it. Look at the dates of the author's life span and try to imagine what life in school m ay have been like.
Von - Oldpoetry Team- From guest Marta Leskard (contact)
Our ICT department has just issued an email about "telephony" and this poem immediately sprung to mind. I too read it in Childcraft (I'm 56). Will love it forever Love this ingenious poem!
From guest Alyanna Koma (contact)
Is one of the best poems I know so far in my 16 years of living. My dad has always read this to me. I love, love it, love it!!!
Eletelephony
From guest Ginny Evans (contact)
I'm probably the oldest person (82 years) and remembered the whole thing. What a hoot it was back in the 1930s, and still is.Teacher memories
From guest Teacher Jenny (contact)
I remember this poem from when I am younger. I am now a primary school teacher and I am so glad to find it here. I will be teaching poetry to my students soon, and this will be included.LOVE THIS!
From guest Kim (contact)
I love this poem. I too read it in my childcraft books. I am 45. It always tickled me when I was little. I still laugh when I read it.Eletelephony
From guest Rich Smith (contact)
This is one of my most beloved poems of early childhood. I'm 55 and can still "see" the page in Childcraft with Walt Disney's drawing of the whole thing as described. I wish that I could do something in my life that could flow through the ages bringing joy and happiness as her works have done.- From guest Veronica (contact)
Oh my, I remember it as a poem not as a song, I was 8, now I´m 44 I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!!!!!!!!
From guest Laura (contact)
This song has represented 3rd Grade classes for a very long time.In my class!
From guest Cecelia (contact)
I have this poem in my class! It is voted our first favorite poem. The Hen-The Poem would be next.Eletelphony
From guest Linda Rann (contact)
Can you confirm the publication date of Eletelphony? Thanks.- From guest Debra Wilson (contact)
I read all the poems as a child that came in a set of books sold with a set of encyclopedias from a door to door salesman. out of all the poems, and their was many many, this is the only one i can recall. my daughter, now 24, has 2 sons. but she read the books as a child as well. unfortunately when parents split up 15 years ago, they got rid of the books. how i wish i had a chance to get them back. but now i have found this copy of the poem and can share it with my grandchildren as i did my daughter.. ===
From guest marianne (contact)
what is the tune?
kindly post
MOD MESSAGE
As our name suggests this is a poetry site. If you require music you must look elsewhere.
JimStill in my head.
From guest Mike Forestell (contact)
I remember this poem as a young boy in Canada, every word except for the last two lines! I am 64 years old and will share it with my grandchildren. So glad that it is still available to share again and again.Still in my head.
From guest Mike Forestell (contact)
I remember this poem as a young boy in Canada, every word except for the last two lines! I am 64 years old and will share it with my grandchildren. So glad that it is still available to share again and again.- From guest Ric Daly (contact)
I quoted this poem to some friends recently. I still remembered it from 3rd grade .... and that was more than half a century ago (1958). I have no idea why I remembered it, but I didn't recall the author and had to look it for that reason. Thank you!
From guest Beth D. (contact)
I am so excited to find this poem! I recited this for a talent show in 2nd grade. My mom even made me an elephant costume to wear. Brings back so many memories! Thanks!Poem
From guest Cyndee Brode (contact)
I was trying to quote this to some friends, because one of there mothers call the cell phone the cellephone. I think I learned it in the second grade and couldn't remember it all so I'm tickled to send it on.Eletelepony
From guest Ron (contact)
I haven't read this poem since I was in the 3rd grade in elementry school. I could only remember half of it. It is good to be able to read it again, thanks.i love this poem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From guest bharati (contact)
this is the craziest song ever!!!!!!!!!!!- From guest michael (contact)
read this pem in a book my mom got me in 2nd grade
Eletelephony
From guest Greg. ;-) (contact)
My mother would read this to ever day some time times 5 or more in a row I enjoyed it and I'm going to read it to my kids evey day 5 or more a dayELETELEPHONY
From guest ELLIE (contact)
THIS IS THE POEM THAT AWAKENED A LIFELONG LOVE OF POETRY IN ME. PRIOR TO HEARING IT, I THOUGHT ALL POETRY WAS BORING STUFF. NOW I KNOW IT CAN BE FUN, AND NOW I WRITE MY OWN POETRY, JUST FOR FUN.- From guest Tracey (contact)
When I was little before I went to bed every night my grandpa and grandma use to read this poem to me so I would have funny dreams and not nightmares. This is very special to me because I just lost my grandma. eletelephony
From guest BEV KING DEMBITZ (contact)
I had to learn and recite this poem in front of my third grade class in 1957 at Bayview Elem school in Norfolk VA. My first poem I ever had to memorize and I have never forgotten it and I still recite it to my grand children.Eletelephony
From guest Emie (contact)
I memorized this as a 3rd grader. Fun to see that I still remember it almost word perfect!looking for an old sorority song ,same era
From guest Rob d'Estrube (contact)
A delight to find "Skinny Mrs. Pipkin", one of my 83 yr.old mother's favorites. At the same time I'm looking for another of her old sorority (?) songs that have lyrics about a girl in Greece: She lives in Philli-pop-popolous Near the Acrop-crop-crop-crop-croplous Has a monop-nop-nop-nop-nopolous Of beaus in the whole metropop-trop-tropolis It goes on about some "bashy bazook" who is a "crude Bugarian" and a "rude vulgarian", etc. just the sort of thing that might have been written by one of your authors. Any clues to where I can find all the verses? Thanks to all in advance. Mother is from St. Paul Minn. and went to college at U Wisconson & Stanford in mid 40s Cheers, Rob d'Estrube- One of my favorites and I woke up thinking about the poetry book that has it in it, with bittersweet fondness. My 25 year old daughter took it with her when she moved out
. I still have little ones who are missing out. At least she now has her own kids that will benefit from it. Yay I got a taste of what I yearned for today! Thanks. - I've never heard or read this before but I think it's wonderful and can understand as some people have said in their comments why it would be used in schools and childhood.
reminiscent
I remember reading this in grade school or something. Did someone write a musical arrangement to it? I seem to recall reading it in music class, but now I don't remember if we sang it. Great fun rhymes though. Pre-Seussian.- I love how she uses the rhyme scheme as an excuse to make up all these fantastical words... I mean, a telephunk? That is so cool
- I have a 4 year old great-nephew and I'm recording this for him on a cd of 'things of interest' for this special little boy to enjoy.
I imagine this lady to be full of love and warmth and I do feel that children will pick up on this very easily. Allow the child to make his own decisions and let him tell you what he thinks - that's what I did. you may be surprised at the response. Von - Oldpoetry Team For Guest Chaneryl ...
This lady mainly wrote for children and this is one of her best children's poems.
It is simply a piece of nonsense where "almost-words" are substituted for "real-words" yet the overall result is a wonderful poem. It is very much in the style of Spike Milligan though written before his birth! I wonder if, in fact, Milligan was influenced by this lady's work.
Jim
Oldpoetry Research Team- From guest chaneryl uy lumontod (contact)
I learned of this poem from my kid who's in nursery right now. they will be having an " ELOCUTION" contest. Out of the 6 poems to chose from, my kid liked the " ETELEPHOney POEM. I have to research on this poem, coz I need to nterprete the poem so that he can better memorize the poem. I wonder if you have an enterpretation on this. I understand the poem, its just that its very hard to explain it to a little boy... - From guest Jeanne L. Martin (contact)
looked up and comment was gone so will say it again. I was glad this poem was posted. It was one of my favorites as a child (I am 70) My forth grade teacher introduced it to me. Great poem, and I want to teach it to my Sunday School class of five year olds. j martin - From guest Patty Agacki (contact)
I had a big red book with it in when I was little..one of my favorite memories Memories
From guest Kelly (contact)
This poem was told tome as a child by my gram. She recently passed away and it means so much to me. I look forward to passing it on to the generation to come in my family.- i love it.....wonderful imagination ......
Eletelphony
From guest Colleen (contact)
I heard this poem when I was about 3 years old and it has stuck with me for 53 years! Sometimes while driving a long stretch of highway with nothing to look at but telephone poles I think of this poem. Thanks for posting it.Among my faves
From guest Melissa (contact)
I just purchased a new cell phone, and in the car ride home, started reciting Eletelephony to my husband. He suspected it was Shel Silverstein...I decided to look it up once we got home. It was in a Children's Encyclopedia my family had, and I used to beg my parents to read it to me. I remember that my mom wrote it out and put it in my lunchbox once - she illustrated it too!ELETELEPHONY
From guest Kaden (contact)
I grew up reading this poem in the Childcraft books. It brought back sweet memories when I read it here after 40+ years. Thanks...hi laura!!!
From guest nia (contact)
hi laura my name is nia and i am 11 years old. my class was doing poetry on your poem it is funny..well nice meeting you.Thank you I am sharing poems with my teachers
From guest Momo (contact)
I love this play on words. I collect 10 poems each term for my teachers in my Australian Primary School. This one was in The Usborne Book of Poetry and with your page I didn't need to type it to send off to my 32 classes - thanks- From guest L.Henderson (contact)
I, too, had this poem in a "Little Golden Book", and happily still do. It was the first poem I shared from memory with my own two daughters, and I'm sure it will be the first that I share with any grandchildren. With the exception that I was 7 instead of 12, I also could have written the exact same words as Tom Herman. I must admit, however, that I was equally surprised to discover that our clever poet had been born in 1850! I googled this poem just now because I plan on sharing it with my English clas tomorrow. thanks
From guest Lynne LeGrow (contact)
I had this poem in a 'Little Golden Book' as a child and it was one of my favorites. I have been looking for the poem for some time. Sure wish I could find a copy of that golden book...Old Memories
From guest Mike Wapner (contact)
My Mother cleaned out the garage and found a report I had compiled in fourth grade (1967). In it I had included this poem, but without having given Ms. Richards credit. It is nice after all these years to be able to set the record straight so easily with the Internet. Thanks for the post.- From guest bobbyjoe (contact)
I love this phone!!! Eletelephony
From guest Ron Powell (contact)
I recited this poem several times in the 50's at local Farm Bureau pinics.Eletelephony
From guest Tom Herman (contact)
When I was twelve I was required to memorize a poem for speech class and I chose this one. I have never forgotten it (it's five decades later) and, shamefully, it is the only poem I can recite by heart. I thought of it this evening for some reason and decided to see if it would be on the internet, for nostalgic reasons. And here it is. I had forgotten the name. It still makes people laugh when, on extremely rare occasions, I decide to recite it.Huckabee and the Elephant
From guest Lorna Sue (contact)
Last week I received a "phone call" from Mike Huckabee. It was actually, I guess, I phone poll, since it was a series of questions about my political views. Then he came on a question I could not answer and he kept repeating the question, louder and louder. Hmmm. Anyway it brought back to me the poem Eletelphony, which, to my great surprise, I was able to repeat for my sister practically word for word. Thank you for this site which appeared when I googled part of the poem. I never did know who wrote the poem.- When read correctly out load to children they would find this stimualting and funny. I think I would have liked to hear Spike Milligan read this.
- The poem you're thinking of is called "Mrs. Snipkin and Mrs. Wobblechin"
Google for the win. another fun one by Laura E. Richards
From guest bmpizza (contact)
Mrs. Snipkin and Mrs. Wobblechin by Laura E. Richards Skinny Mrs. Snipkin, With her little pipkin, Sat by the fireside a-warming of her toes. Fat Mrs. Wobblechin, With her little doublechin, Sat by the window a-cooling of her nose. Says this one to that one, 'Oh! you silly fat one, Will you shut the window down? You're freezing me to death! ' Says that one to t' other one, 'Good gracious, how you bother one! There isn't air enough for me to draw my precious breath! ' Skinny Mrs. Snipkin, Took her little pipkin, Threw it straight across the room as hard as she could throw; Hit Mrs. Wobblechin On her little doublechin, And out of the window a-tumble she did go.the poem
From guest Debbie Adiv (contact)
I learned this poem in the third grade (1954 or 55) and I taught it to my children and now grandchildi love it...u
From guest jane (contact)
very nice poem...the words and the sound is very good.. i love it!!!Eletelephony
There is something phoney about it;
The animal and the instrument really did not fit.
