Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 25 Aug 14 - 01:27 PM

The poem "Mr. Nobody" is also in The Child's Speaker edited by Charles Northend (New York and Chicago: A. S. Barnes and Company, 1870), page 45.

The words are nearly identical to those I posted above, except that it uses the spelling "Mr. Nobody" rather than "Mr. No-bod-ee."

No author is named.

I think the attribution to Elizabeth Prentiss is likely correct.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,Becky P
Date: 23 Aug 14 - 10:37 PM

This is an old thread, but it helped me a lot and I thought someone else may find it and need the answer. I believe the author is Elizabeth Prentiss. See this website for my explanation of the author. http://moreloveenterprises.com/_mrnobody.html

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 20 Aug 12 - 04:42 PM

The attribution to Walter de la Mare must be bogus—unless he wrote only the verse beginning "He puts the damp wood on the fire." De la Mare was born in 1873 but this poem was published in 1870 (if not earlier) in Willson's Intermediate Fifth Reader by Marcius Willson (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1870), page 202:


MR. NOBODY

I know a funny little man,
  As quiet as a mouse,
That does the mischief that is done,
  In every body's house.
There's no one ever sees his face,
  And yet we all agree,
That every plate we break was cracked
  By Mr. No-bod-ee.

'Tis he who always tears our books,
  Who leaves our doors ajar;
He pulls the buttons from our shirts,
  And scatters pins afar.
That squeaking door will always squeak,
  For, prithee, don't you see,
We leave the oiling to be done
  By Mr. No-bod-ee?

The finger-marks upon the doors
  By none of us are made;
We never leave the blinds unclosed
  To let the curtains fade;
The ink we never spill; the boots
  That lying round you see,
Are not our boots! They all belong
  To Mr. No-bod-ee.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,999
Date: 17 Aug 12 - 05:23 PM

Mr Nobody

I know a funny little man,
As quiet as a mouse,
Who does the mischief that is done
In everybody's house.
There's no one ever sees his face,
And yet we all agree
That every plate we break was cracked
By Mr., Nobody

'Tis he who always tears our books,
who leaves our doors ajar;
he pulls the buttons from our shirts,
and scatters pins afar,
that squeaking door will always squeak,
because of this you see:
we leave the oiling to be done
by Mr Nobody.

He puts damp wood upon the fire,
So kettles cannot boil;
His are the feet that bring in mud
And all the carpets soil.
The papers always are mislaid,
Who had them last but he?
There's no one tosses them about
But Mr. Nobody

Walter de la Mare

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,Miss Rule
Date: 16 Aug 12 - 06:46 PM

Thank you, thank you, thank you Muttley! I was searching for that umligumligeeni song to give to my school class! First time ever I have googled something and come up with only ONE hit. Champion. Curiosity... where did you hear this poem, and where are you from? I learnt it in about 1990 in a tiny bush school north of Sydney.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,Emily Dickenson
Date: 30 Oct 10 - 11:42 AM

I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us -- don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Oct 10 - 09:56 AM

I just found a notation for this title on PoemHunter.com (through Google) that lists the author as an Englishman named Walter de la Mare (1873-1958). Hope this helps

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,Laura
Date: 28 Feb 07 - 12:55 AM

I think that I might have found the book it was in. I remember reading this with my grandma as a child and the picture beside the story of Mr. Nobody looked like a man with a square paper type of head and the legs were like accordion folded paper and there was turquoise blue shading below him and he was looking towards the right with his eyes, to see if anybody was watching. If I remember correctly I am pretty sure that the story or poem mister nobody mr. nobody mr nobody was in the Colliers Encyclopedia junior classics shelf of books freebie. My grandma had the encyclopedias sitting on the built ins around the fireplace and my mom was born in 1959 and my uncles were born in 51 and 55. I saw the books online at http://loganberrybooks.com/most-anthologies.html
and then looked on ebay and recognize the cover for the 1962 edition. I remember grandma trying to get me to read abc up but I much prefered the book with Mr. Nobody.    Hope this bit of info helps!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Feb 07 - 04:39 AM

Thanks so much for that poem. It was lost to me , when my sister sold some old books in a garage sale. How great to see it again. For some reason I always liked it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: SINSULL
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 07:32 AM

I ain't never done nothin' for nobody...
And I don't intend to do nothin' for nobody no time..."

That the one Linn?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Jim Lad
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 02:21 AM

Looks like Jim Dixon found the right one and after reading it, I'm sure the author was....... Missus Nobody!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Jim Lad
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 12:42 AM

Good Lord! I found three web-sites with the new "First Aid in English" and they all want money. Anyway: I remember every verse started with "Who" and ended with "Mr. Nobody"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Jim Lad
Date: 15 Jan 07 - 12:36 AM

I remember that poem being in a primary school book called "First Aid in English"

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,Visitor
Date: 14 Jan 07 - 10:58 PM

I came across this 99 posting about Kris asking for the author of the poem "Mr. Nobody". The author is Anon - anonymous, and I just found it on this website if you would like to check it out. Anon

http://www.longman.co.uk/tt_pri/literacy/homework/helpers/yr6/nobody.pdf

---

Mr Nobody

I know a funny little man,
As quiet as a mouse,
Who does the mischief that is done
In everybody’s house!
There’s no one ever sees his face,
And yet we all agree
That every plate we break was cracked
By Mr Nobody.

’Tis he who always tears our books,
Who leaves the door ajar,
He pulls the buttons from our shirts,
And scatters pins afar;
That squeaking door will always squeak
For, prithee, don’t you see,
We leave the oiling to be done
By Mr Nobody.

He puts damp wood upon the fire,
That kettles cannot boil;
His are the feet that bring in mud,
And all the carpets soil.
The papers always are mislaid,
Who had them last but he?
There’s not one tosses them about
But Mr Nobody.

The finger-marks upon the door
By none of us are made;
We never leave the blinds unclosed,
To let the curtains fade;
The ink we never spill; the boots
That lying round you see
Are not our boots; they all belong
To Mr Nobody.
Anon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 11:15 PM

From the Broadway Musical CHICAGO the song "Mr. Celophain" (sic) might fill your bill.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Joe_F
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 09:21 PM

In december, when the days draw to be short,
After november, when the nights wax noisome and long;
As I past by a place privily at a port,
I saw one sit by himself making a song:
His last talk of trifles, who told with his tongue
That few were fast i' th' faith. I freyned [asked] that freak [man],
Whether he wanted wit, or some had done him wrong.
He said, he was little John Nobody, that durst not speak.

First of eight stanzas on the decay of decency, "Little John Nobody", anon., ca. 1550

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: JennyO
Date: 09 Nov 06 - 07:43 PM

I'm pretty sure it's Jim Dixon's one that was being asked for. I remember it too, from school when I was about 8 years old.

Well I know Mudcat's normally well known for being speedy with answers - but seven and a half years???!!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 07:51 AM

No, sorry.

I just checked a discography and I think I was thinking about "Kaloobafak"

Linn whose random access memory is getting more and more random

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 07:48 AM

Didn't the Jim Kweskin Jug Band do a song (semi recitation) about Mr. Nobody?

Can't get to my LP right now.

Linn

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,Padgett
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 07:25 AM

Peace that's the one from Roy!

I like the bit where he says my name is Sole, R.Sole

Roy was the 'memory man'on Hughie Green's prog and although no oil painting is a genius

Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Muttley
Date: 01 Nov 06 - 07:19 AM

I saw that title scrolling through following a thread I posted (just checking to see if there was anything else of interest).

That title just leapt out at me: I was SURE I remembered it from somewhere - and I thought I even knew some of the "intent" of the poem.

How delighted was I when I read the words and found them to be EXACTLY the ones from a poem I thought delightful when reading and learning in High School. We had to learn (at least) two poems by rote that year and one was Mr.Nobody, the other was Tarantella.

Actually we had to memorise 3 or 4 by "decree" and a couple more by choice. One of my choices was an old Yorkshire poem; learned not because it was short but because it was in Yorkshire dialect and I could mimic my Grandmother's Scottish / Yorkshire accent to a 'tee' and so had the 'short' poem allowed:

It was
As I went up my Umligumli; Umgligumligeeni
There I saw Sir Ackamajack eating my Alicofeeni
Oh if I'd had my Ansicansi; Ansicansikeensi
Oh wouldn't I give it Sir Ackamajack
For eating my Alicofeeni

Translated it reads
As I walked up my garden path
I saw a pig eating my potatoes
Oh If I had my stick
I'd hit that pig for eating my potatoes!

However; back to the poem Mr.Nobody - as I said, I had to learn IT and though over 30 years later I could still remember much of Tarantella and was amazed when; after looking it up on the 'Net, I realized I still knew MOST of it: I couldn't recall ANY of Mr.Nobody - just the intent of the poem.

Thanks SO much for jogging my memory and providing once again those poignant words - I am going to copy them off and place them in a folder alongside my saved rendition of Tarantella!

Muttley

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Peace
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 03:33 PM

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: GUEST,padgett
Date: 31 Oct 06 - 03:44 AM

Not the one you are looking for a certain Mr Roy Blackman has written a brilliant poem in the style of but better than the Trip to Morrow

Based on Body, Somebody, Nobody, Anybody its a Masterpiece no I aint got the words need em!

Ray

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: breezy
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 12:43 PM

Its not 'My Name is Nobody' by Ron Hynes either, but if you know the man you'll understand where he's been and where he's coming from.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 12:36 PM

Try Google Book Search. You'll find this poem is included in several recent books including (ahem!) "Moral Compass: Stories for a Life's Journey," edited by William J. Bennett, 1995.

I haven't found its origin, though. In several books, it's simply marked "anonymous."

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: M.Ted
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 11:19 AM

I remember it fondly, as well. Every child, for several generations at least, must have heard it--if it wasn't for the fact that verse has gone the way of the Packard, they'd still be hearing it--

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Flash Company
Date: 30 Oct 06 - 10:35 AM

Jim, I remember seeing that in a book I had in childhood about 60 years ago, and the book had been my Mothers when she was a child, so must have been printed in about 1920. Nice to see it again !
FC

Subject: Lyr Add: MR NOBODY
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 29 Oct 06 - 09:51 PM

Copied from http://www.cswnet.com/~erin/child.htm#mrn

MR. NOBODY

I know a funny little man, as quiet as a mouse,
Who does the mischief that is done in everybody's house!
No one ever sees his face, and yet we all agree
That every plate we break was cracked by Mr. Nobody.

'Tis he who always tears our books, who leaves the door ajar.
He pulls the buttons from our shirts and scatters pins afar.
That squeaking door will always squeak, for, prithee, don't you see,
We leave the oiling to be done by Mr. Nobody.

He puts damp wood upon the fire, that kettles cannot boil;
His are the feet that bring in mud, and all the carpets soil.
The papers always are mislaid, who had them last but he?
There's not one tosses them about but Mr. Nobody.

The finger marks upon the door by none of us are made.
We never leave the blinds unclosed, to let the curtains fade.
The ink we never spill; the boots that lying 'round, you see,
Are not our boots; they all belong to Mr. Nobody.

Subject: RE: I'm looking for a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From:
Date: 05 Apr 99 - 12:16 PM

I have an Ewan MacColl song, 'Lament for the Death of a Nobody', about an anonymous suicide. That wouldn't be what you're looking for, I suppose? - Susanne

Subject: RE: I'm looking for a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Barbara
Date: 02 Apr 99 - 06:14 PM

If it's the kid's poem about all the mayhem being done by "Mr. Nobody', my 1940's anthology (Golden Book) says it was written by "anonymous.

Subject: RE: I'm looking for a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: bbc
Date: 02 Apr 99 - 07:56 AM

Hi, Kris,

I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but the one that comes to mind for me is by Emily Dickinson--"I'm Nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody,too?"

bbc

Subject: RE: I'm looking for a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Barbara
Date: 02 Apr 99 - 01:49 AM

This is about who causes all the problems in a household with several children "...all belong to Mr. Nobody"? If so, I check the kid's poetry book in the morning (after she's up) and post you an author.
Blessings,
barbara

Subject: I'm looking for a poem called 'Mr. Nobody'
From: Kris
Date: 02 Apr 99 - 01:00 AM

I'm looking for a poem called "Mr. Nobody." More specifically, the author of this poem. I cannot seem to find it anywhere. Help would be greatly appreciated.