An Abecedarian Poem Woven From Traditional And Modern Alphabet Songs

Introduction

I tried to create a playlist of unaccompanied traditional folk songs based on the Roud Index in the article below.

I included a talk by Steve (it's an hour long but entertaining, he talks about creating his index and goes past quite quickly) and in the talk he mentions "Alphabet Songs" which are found for various livelihoods, carpenters, farmers, sailors and a lot more.

I thought, what if I take lines from these songs and stitch them together in an abecedarian poem?

I have amended them where necessary to have ten syllables and rhyme, but they come from different poems so may not make any sense, but you may have fun guessing their source.

I could only find five so there are multiple lines taken from each one.

This may get it rejected from the Challenge, but usually having my name on it is enough for that (that is a joke).

It is also Plagiaristic Poetry (see link at the end) and a playlist.

The Prompt

Write an abecedarian poem.

The Poem

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"A" For The Anchor We Carry At Our Bow

"B" Was A Butcher Who Had A Great Hound

"C" Is The Cook In His Galley Cooking

"D", The Dunderheads, Ever Complaining

"E" Was An Esquire With His Pride Showing

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"F" Is The Fo’c’sle Where Is Our Bed

"G" Is For The Gnarled Face Turning Red

"H" IS For Hexfly That Hatches In June

"I" Is For The Irons All Numbered And True

"J" Was A Joiner Who NAiled The Wood Right

"K" Is For Knot That We Tie Neat And Tight

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"L" Is For Lip Reading, See What They Say

"M" Was The Miser Who Stole All Your Pay

"N" Is For Net Hanging Off Of Our Backs

"O" Was An Oyster Girl, Lived In A Shack

Penalty Shoot Outs, Such Drama You See

"Q" For Quality Of Our Fisheries

"R" Is The Rigging Tied Up So Stoutly

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"S" The Suggestion I Finish On Time

"T" The Topsail Where The Topmen They Climb.

"U" Is For Uniform, Only Wore Aft,

"V" Is The Vang That Holds Steady The Gaff

Wouldn't It Be Fun, Give The Ref A Gun

"X" Was One Xenophon, Prudent And Learn’d

Yate Is The Kind Of Town That Sources Refs

"Z" Was One Zeno The Great, But He’s Dead.

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The Songs

Half Man Half Biscuit - "The Referee's Alphabet"

This is not traditional but one Blackwell's songs will be though

Fairport Convention - "The Sailor's Alphabet"

I'd forgotten that Fairport had recorded this but you might enjoy this.

Martyn Waitt - "Bargeman's Alphabet"

This is a recording I found, and it is rather good.

Ronald Nelson - "Tom Thumb's Alphabet"

This is the poem set to music with sound effects. Not a folk song but entertaining.

Alan Cayn - "Fly Fisherman's Alphabet"

An unaccompanied ABC song for you

Sources and Appendix

The Sailor's Alphabet, The Bargeman's Alphabet, Tom Thumb's Alphabet

The Referee's Alphabet is below: