Exercises in Song

Exercises in Song are the retelling of the English folk song Show Me the Way to Go Home in over a hundred different styles. These include the original ninety-nine styles of Raymond Queneau's Exercices en Style, plus extra bonus versions of contemporary and classic literary fiction.

Exercise in Song 2008 comprised an advent calendar. Each of a selection of Exercises was published daily during December 2008. We also produced a print version of Exercises in Song 2008.

Surprises

Well, cripes, I'm lost: who'd have thought?
And, hum, who'd have guessed that I'd be tired?
And such a little drink should not have had an effect,
Yet I see that's what's transpired!

Oh: lake! My: surf! Gosh: fell!
Is that normal? Who can tell?
And would you know: I can still hold a tune!
What are the chances of... well!

Litotes

I wouldn't mind forty winks;
It wouldn't be unkind to help me try!
It's hardly in the distant past when I had a drink,
And I wouldn't say I'm dry.

I might wander around
On this or that type of ground
But you'll like as not hear me ask the way
Of anyone who's around

Dream

I seemed to be on a trip,
But couldn't remember where to go.
I poured a drink of water and it came out as grit,
Then a friend said: "What d'you know?"

Whatever word I spoke
People treated as a joke.
Then I realised I was naked at school!
Shocked, suddenly I awoke.

Reported speech

He said he'd talked to this chap
Who wanted to get home to his mum.
He'd said he'd been up half the night and spun him a yarn—
But he said he stank of rum!

He said that he then tried
To just brush this chap aside,
But he wouldn't take the hint, so my friend—
Just to get rid of him—lied!