the Ballad Of Stan And Jack

Jack Frost is a cunning rouge

Always interfering with Stan’s garden

Then he jumps over the fence

And interferers with the garden next door.

Jack Frost has a pale white face

And spiky white hair

He wares nimble running shoes

No hob nail boots for him.

One February day Stan thought he saw Jack

Playing pranks in his garden

Giving frostbite to his Pelagoniums.

Stan was standing there smoking a Senior Service

From a packet he had just bought at the newsagents.

He stubbed out his cigarette

And started to chase after Jack Frost

But Jack jumped over the wall

And Stan was out of breath.

“You really should try to cut down smoking”

Said Stans wife Doris

Then she lit up a Players Weights

And carried on with her dusting.

Stan was a decent chap

He lived in Eltringham Street Battersea

Terraced houses with doorsteps

And a coal fire in the front room.

A Cheshire cat sits near the fire

When its not outside spying on pigeons..

Stan wore a cloth cap

He often wore braces

He would go into his local

And give the young ladies his graces.

Some said that Jack Frost wouldn’t survive

The effects of global warning

But he fought back

And alas

Continues to play havoc with our gardens.

Stan carried on nursing his pelargoniums

Then he took of his cloth cap

And in prayer he said

Dear GOD please bring springtime.

Frank Bangay

March 010