On this date in 1793, poet Felicia Hemans was born. Her best-known poems are The Homes of England and Casabianca (better known as The Boy Stood on the Burning Deck). Here are 10 spoofs of the latter.
1. The boy stood on the burning deck
Whence all but he had fled -
Twit!
Spike Milligan
2. The boy stood on the burning deck.
His feet were covered in blisters.
He'd burnt the socks right off his feet
And had to wear his sister's
Ken Dodd
3. The boy stood on the burning deck
His lips were all a-quiver
He gave a cough, his leg fell off
And floated down the river.
Eric Morecambe
4. The boy stood on the burning deck,
The flames 'round him did roar;
He found a bar of Ivory Soap
And washed himself ashore.
5. The boy stood on the burning deck
Playing a game of cricket,
The ball flew down his trouser leg
And hit his middle wicket.
6. The boy stood on the burning deck
Eating a 3p walls
A piece of ice went down his neck
And paralysed his feet
7. The boy stood on the burning deck,
Amid the fiery flickers;
A spark flew up his trouser leg
And burnt away his knickers.
8. The boy stood on the burning deck
Eating red hot scallops
One fell down his trouser leg
and burnt him on the ankle
Bernard Manning
9. The boy stood on the burning deck,
He thought to himself "oh blooming heck".
10. The boy stood on the burning deck,
Eating peanuts by the peck;
His father called, he would not go,
Because he loved those peanuts so.
