On the Ning Nang Nong
Encyclopedia
"On the Ning Nang Nong" is a poem written by the comedian Spike Milligan
. The poem was featured in the book named Silly Verse For Kids which was written in 1968. In 1998 the poem came first in the BBC
's poll of top comic poems. It is also remembered for a song sequence on the Australian version of Play School
, featured on the albums There's A Bear In There and Play School Favourites, and on the 'B' side of Milligan's own "Badjelly the Witch
".
Several subsequent lines also use the phrase "Nong Nang Ning" or "Nong Ning Nang" (but never "Ning Nong Nang", "Nang Ning Nong" or "Nang Nong Ning"). The poem ends with a crescendo-like "Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!"
Various animals, plants and created objects "say" or, more often, "go" various sounds (capitalization in the original): monkeys say "Boo", trees go "Ping", tea pots "Jibber Jabber Joo", mice go "Clang", cows go "Bong". Some do this more than once in the poem.
The poem's rhyme scheme
is AABCCBDDBAACCDDAA.
Spike Milligan
Terence Alan Patrick Seán "Spike" Milligan Hon. KBE was a comedian, writer, musician, poet, playwright, soldier and actor. His early life was spent in India, where he was born, but the majority of his working life was spent in the United Kingdom. He became an Irish citizen in 1962 after the...
. The poem was featured in the book named Silly Verse For Kids which was written in 1968. In 1998 the poem came first in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's poll of top comic poems. It is also remembered for a song sequence on the Australian version of Play School
Play School (Australian TV series)
Play School is an Australian educational television show for children produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is the longest-running children's show in Australia, and the second longest running childrens show in the world. An estimated 80% of pre-school children under six watch the...
, featured on the albums There's A Bear In There and Play School Favourites, and on the 'B' side of Milligan's own "Badjelly the Witch
Badjelly the Witch
Badjelly the Witch is a brief handwritten, illustrated story by Spike Milligan, created for his children, then printed in 1973. It was made into an audio and a video version....
".
Poem
The 17-line poem opens with:- On the Ning Nang Nong
- Where the cows go Bong!
Several subsequent lines also use the phrase "Nong Nang Ning" or "Nong Ning Nang" (but never "Ning Nong Nang", "Nang Ning Nong" or "Nang Nong Ning"). The poem ends with a crescendo-like "Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!"
Various animals, plants and created objects "say" or, more often, "go" various sounds (capitalization in the original): monkeys say "Boo", trees go "Ping", tea pots "Jibber Jabber Joo", mice go "Clang", cows go "Bong". Some do this more than once in the poem.
The poem's rhyme scheme
Rhyme scheme
A rhyme scheme is the pattern of rhyme between lines of a poem or song. It is usually referred to by using letters to indicate which lines rhyme. In other words, it is the pattern of end rhymes or lines...
is AABCCBDDBAACCDDAA.