Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation

Subject: Lyr Add: WEE DAVY SHAW (James Young)
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jan 04 - 03:01 PM

Is this Irish enough?
WEE DAVY SHAW

Wee Davy Shaw – he's seven, asked his mother
"Why can't I go to church with Pat O'Shea?
Pat's church is just around the corner and
Mine is more than half a mile away."

"Ye can't go to his church his mother toul him
Pat's a Roman Catholic you're a Prod"
"Is that the reason", Davy asked in wonder?
"Then Catholics have a different God".

"Their God's the same as ours" his mother toul him
"But they worship in a slightly different way"
"Then I could do it that way too", says Davy
"And I could learn it all from Pat O'Shea."

"Och, shut your mouth "his mother said, exasperated
"I want to hear no more of that from you"
"I think it's daft", wee Davy toul her
"And I'm sure that God thinks it's, it's very foolish too."

"I toul ye shut your mouth "his mother toul him
"Away to bed and let me hear no more
I've half a mind to tell yer Da about you an
I'm sure he'd leave your backside sore."

Wee Davy Shaw – he's seven, asked his Father
"Why can't I go to school with Pat O'Shea?
Pat's school is just around the corner an
Mine is more than half a mile away."

"Ye can't go to his school "his Father answered
I've toul ye that a thousand times or more"
"But what's the reason Da?" wee Davy asked him
"In Catholic schools is two and two not four."

"Do they not learn reading and spelling?
Geometry and geography like us"
"Ye just don't understand his father toul him
It’s its history that causes all the fuss."

"But I'm not learning history yet” says Davy
"And even if I was do you know what I could do
I could learn all the other things they teach them an
Then I could learn my history from you."

"You're not to go to his school", his Father toul him
"And don't let me find you next nor near the place"
"But Pat's my friend", wee Davy toul him
And the tears were burning bitter furrows, down his face.

Wee Davy Shaw – he's seven, asked his Mother
"Why can't I go and play with Pat O'Shea
Pat's house is just around the corner and
All my friends are more than half a mile away."

His mother gently put her arms around him
She said, "I know that Pat's a very decent kid
I wouldn't mind you playing with him but
But your daddy wouldn't like it if ye did."

"Now I know it's hard for you to understand it
But that's the way it is she said, now, son
You wouldn't like to cause your daddy any trouble"
Wee Davy sobbed an and gently shook his head

But that night Davy's mother asked her husband
"Why, can't Wee Davy go and play with Pat O'Shea"
He said, "Because we can't get friendly with them Fenians
Whatever would our friends and neighbours say."

But in his heart, he knew that was no answer
And next night in the pub, I heard him say
"A Prod's a Prod and a Catholic is a Catholic
So why can't Wee Davy go and play with Pat O'Shea."

I shook my head and – I couldn't give an answer
"It's not your fault or mine," I said to him
"If that's the way your friends and neighbours want it
Don't ask me the question you ask them."

Two tiny kids who just want to laugh and play together
But their Fathers won't allow it, they're afraid
Afraid of the jibes and taunts of some bitter Bigots
What sort of bloody country have we made?

I'll toast the Queen, but if a man's a Catholic
It's just because he knows no other way
So I'm asking you out there, the people
Why can't Wee Davy go and play with Pat O'Shea?

James Young

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,vectis
Date: 04 Jan 04 - 02:46 PM

Try the "Make em laugh" website, find it through google etc. There is also a monologues site which I once had the link for but lost it when I changed computers after a spike bu***red my old one.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,Frances
Date: 04 Jan 04 - 02:37 PM

Hi folks
Thanks for all the help.the competition is for a piece with Irish orientation either a story , recitation/ monologue. It can be dramatic or comedy about any subject, under 6 minutes,
I am not very well up to date in computer life, I am just about plodding away.
I would love if Brioc would post "Say's she".
Lots and lots of thanks

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Snuffy
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 07:30 AM

The Lion and Albert and other Marriott Edgar/Stanley Holloway monologues are usually aroun the five minute mark

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Micca
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 03:52 AM

JTT For Horatius, The "lars Porsena poem, try here Thomas Babington Macaulay

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,JTT
Date: 03 Jan 04 - 02:45 AM

Horation at the Bridge?

"Lars Porsena of Clusium, by the nine gods he swore
That the brave name of Clusium would suffer wrong no more...."

(or something like that)

Or another goodie is Burke's speech on the French Revolution, with the lines:

"Oh! what a revolution! and what a heart must I have to contemplate without emotion that elevation and that fall! Little did I dream when she added titles of veneration to those of enthusiastic, distant, respectful love, that she should ever be obliged to carry the sharp antidote against disgrace concealed in that bosom; little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fallen upon her in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honour, and of cavaliers. I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards to avenge even a look that threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone. That of sophisters, economists, and calculators, has succeeded; and the glory of Europe is extinguished for ever. "

Great foaming-at-the-mouth stuff. I've heard that Burke's own delivery was so deadly dull that the chamber would empty when he stood to speak, but it's wonderful stuff to read. You'll find it in Bartleby.com.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: breezy
Date: 02 Jan 04 - 08:37 AM

Mike Agranoff has a couple of really interesting and dramatic pieces.

Monologues??

if its entertaining and holds the listeners attention then you've a better chance.

Avoid the hackneyed

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,brioc
Date: 02 Jan 04 - 07:29 AM

hi Frances,
My mother does a terrific one called "Says She". Do you have a good dublin accent? Pretty important. Let me know, and if you like I will post it. Its about the queeen coming on a visit to Ireland once!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 06:32 PM

You could strike a sombre, melodramatic note with the proclamation of the Irish Republic (Easter 1916). I'd say it's exactly five minutes at recitation pace.

My eye lit on one mistake in the version for which I've given a link. There may be others. If this became your choice, let me know and I'll give you the correction(s) or point to a clean version on the net.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 05:28 PM

GUNGA DIN by Kipling

http://www.bartleby.com/103/48.html

Can also be sung

What sort of competition? What sort of age group? What sort of past experience are you bringing into this? What country? Answers to these questions can speed your quest....and help determine if it should be Suess or Samual Collerage, R.W. Service or Shilverstein, Kipling or Christ.

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,Frances
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 01:41 PM

Thanks folks, this is fun, keep them coming

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: SINSULL
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 11:24 AM

Cremation Of Sam McGee
The Face On The Barroom Floor (probably not five minutes)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 07:43 AM

If you don't want doggerel, you could try "The Man from God Knows Where" by Florence Wilson. Unfortunately an ear for rural Ulster dialect is more or less essential.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Naemanson
Date: 01 Jan 04 - 12:46 AM

I do a peice by Ruth Moore called The The Ballad of the Three Green Waves. That times out to about 5 minutes.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: mack/misophist
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 10:45 PM

I vote for Lepanto, too. As my English Lit book put it, "It's doggerel, but glorious doggerel." You could introduce it with a short commentary abour how this was the battle that broke Muslim sea power in the east Mediterranean and how a very find brandy was named after it, also.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: cobber
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 10:20 PM

The Man From Snowy River by Banjo Patterson takes about that long

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,Henryp
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 06:16 PM

The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes.

THE wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
    The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
    The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
    And the highwayman came riding —
                      Riding — riding —
    The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

Full words available on the web. Recorded by several singers.

Andy Irvine says; Okay, a lot of people have recorded this old classic poem before me. I think Phil Ochs was the first and I, myself, played on a version of Danny Doyle's back in the Eighties. A couple of years ago, I was asked to play on a version being recorded by Loreena McKennitt, the Canadian Singer and Harpist. She sent me a demo cassette and we met in Dublin but, unfortunately our schedules didn't allow that we should meet in the studio. I was much taken with her tune and started doing the song myself. I think I've changed the odd word here and there and I hope the Shade of Alfred Noyes will forgive me. At least, Alfred, this is the first complete recorded version of your poem as a song-(to my knowledge..)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Maryrrf
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 06:05 PM

Lot's of the long ballads might work. I sometimes do a version of "Mattie Groves" that's part recitation part sung. Or how about Tam O'Shanter. If it's funny, try "The Humours of Whiskey" - that has tons of verses and I think it's in the DT.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 04:13 PM

I haven't timed it, but if I were you I'd look into the cowboy poem, Reincarnation. Sure crowd pleaser, if it's long enough!
Might even be in the DT; check it out.

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Micca
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 03:18 PM

In That case Definately try Lepanto here

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Ed.
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 03:12 PM

Thanks for the clarification, Frances! *grin*

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 03:12 PM

The topic does not matter. It is for a compitetion, I personally like action in the piece.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,Frances
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 03:09 PM

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Micca
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 03:08 PM

"Lepanto" by GK Chesterton, wonderful, alliterative, and would take about 5 mins

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 03:06 PM

WOW! a five minute recitation is LONG!

I'm wondering the same thing as Ed - what is this for; should it be slanted in some direction, etc.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: Ed.
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 02:57 PM

Does it matter in anyway what the text is?

Subject: Lyr Req: help me find a 5 minute recitation
From: GUEST,Frances
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 02:55 PM