The Prologue

Here biginneth the Book of the Tales of Jersyecity
1987
Materials:  Chaucer

A bit of doggerel that I came up with during my senior year's Chaucer class: a parody of the Prologue to the Canterbury Tales. It works best if you know how to pronounce Middle English.

G.T.L.:Grotesquely Twisted Literature.


WHAN THAT JULYE with his feerce sonne
Announceth that the ende of school has comme,

And younge folk awake, alerte and bright
No longer neede they cramme threwout the night;

Whan Zepheres and Trans-Ammes cruse the roades
In transporte of stout revelers by the loades

To bars of which theyr payrents disappruve
Theyr thirste to quenche, and buttocks to ymovve;

And getto-boxses blasten melodye
That fillen streets as far as eyes canne see

(And keepen folk awake til haf-past foure):
Then longen kiddes to see the Jersye Shorre

And dancen al the night, as kiddes wil do
To merye makke, and grabbe themselfs a brewe;

And specially, to every seasyde towne
From Longge Beech to Caype Maye they wende downe,

An enviable TANNE for to seeke
And rente summere cabins for the weeke.