Bocca-Wacca-Wattamus by Barbara Schmidt
They took Ryan O'Brien to breakfast
and asked what he wanted to eat.
His mother looked very nervous
as he wiggled around in his seat.
"I want bocca-wacca-wattamus and salamander stew,
Riggle-raggle ragamuffins, rutabagas, too.
I want diffy-daffy dandelions and then for my dessert,
a dish of looney lingaberries smothered with fresh dirt."
"Ryan!" squealed his mother.
"Wow!" said his sister.
"Yuck!" said his brother.
"We're all out," said the waiter.
They took Ryan O'Brien to lunch
at the best restaurant in the town.
His mother looked very nervous
as the family began to sit down.
"I want bocca-wacca-wattamus and salamander stew,
Riggle-raggle ragamuffins, rutabagas, too.
I want diffy-daffy dandelions and then, for my dessert,
a dish of loony lingaberries smothered with fresh dirt."
"Ryan!" squealed his mother.
"Wow!" said his sister.
"Yuck!" said his brother.
"Not in season," said the waitress.
They took Ryan O'Brien to dinner
"And what will you have today?"
His mother looked very nervous
as Ryan began to say:
"I want bocca-wacca-wattamus and salamander stew,
Riggle-raggle ragamuffins, rutabags, too.
I want diffy-daffy dandelions and then, for my dessert,
a dish of loony lingaberries smothered with fresh dirt."
"Ryan!" squealed his mother.
"Wow!" said his sister.
"Yuck!" said his brother.
"Medium or rare?" asked the waiter.
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"I don't know exactly when the robbery happened, but I know I wasn't in the drugstore that day."
ReplyDeleteSteve says he was not in the drugstore and he doesn't even know when the robbery happened. Without saying explicitly that he is innocent he is saying he is because he has no knowledge of the robbery.
O'Brien:
"Mr. Harmon, did you discuss with anyone that you would act as a lookout or that you would check out the store?"
Steve:
"No, I did not."
Steve once again is not saying word for word that he is "innocent" but he once again says he was not part of the robbery. He was answering a question that was more to the point of being a lookout so the fact that he answered No, I did not gives me the idea that he was at least not the lookout.
I can't find the quote(s), but he speaks of truth and how he doesn't know anymore what is right and wrong. I thought at first maybe he was guilty because he wasn't able to figure out what was right and wrong. Then later he came and said he definately knew. He knew he wasn't wrong with what he did so I think that shows his innocence. He questioned himself, which is not really that unusual considering what he is going through, but the fact that he says he definately knows he did right makes me think he was saying he was innocent.
I loved this poem when I was a kid. Thanks for posting it. My search is over.
ReplyDelete6 years later and my search is now over as well. Lol
DeleteI loved this poem when I was a kid. Thanks for posting it. My search is over.
ReplyDeleteThis has been in my head off and on for a long time. I'm so glad I found all the words!
ReplyDelete