Lennon, John

England, (1940-1980)

I Sat Belonely

  1. I sat belonely down a tree,
  2. humbled fat and small.
  3. A little lady sing to me
  4. I couldn’t see at all.
  5.  
  6. I’m looking up and at the sky,
  7. to find such wondrous voice.
  8. Puzzly puzzle, wonder why,
  9. I hear but have no choice.
  10.  
  11. ‘Speak up, come forth, you ravel me’,
  12. I potty menthol shout.
  13. ‘I know you hiddy by this tree’.
  14. Dut still she won’t come out.
  15.  
  16. Such softly singing lulled me sleep,
  17. an hour or two or so
  18. I wakeny slow and took a peep
  19. and still no lady show.
  20.  
  21. Then suddy on a little twig
  22. I thought I see a sight,
  23. A tiny little tiny pig,
  24. that sing with all it’s might.
  25.  
  26. ‘I thought you were a lady’.
  27. I giggle, well I may,
  28. To my suprise the lady,
  29. got up – and flew away.

© John Lennon. In His Own Write. New York: Simon and Schuster (1964).

Editor’s Note:

In the movie Help!, Lennon can be heard reciting part of “I Sat Belonely” to Ringo Starr as he and Ringo are walking along the sidewalk right before Ringo “posts his letter”.

lennon-in-his-own-write

Here is a recording of John Lennon reciting the first stanza and then the last two stanzas of “I Sat Belonely” from another source: i-sat-belonely.mp3

Perhaps some readers are also reminded of this rhyme, popular on both sides of the pond and found in a variety of versions:


One Evening in October

  1. One evening last October, when I was far from sober
  2. And dragging home my load with manly pride.
  3. My feet began to stutter and I fell down in the gutter.
  4. And a pig came up and lay right by my side.
  5.  
  6. Then I mumbled, “It’s fair weather when good fellows get together.”
  7. Till a lady passing by was heard to say,
  8. “You can tell a man that boozes by the company he chooses.”
  9. Then the pig got up and slowly walked away.

About the Poet:

John Winston Lennon, England, (1940-1980), was an English singer, songwriter and peace activist who gained worldwide fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist, and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. His songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney remains the most successful in history.

In 1969, he started the Plastic Ono Band with his second wife, Yoko Ono. After the Beatles disbanded in 1970, Lennon continued as a solo artist. He was renowned for the rebellious nature and acerbic wit in his music, writing, drawings, on film, in interviews and through his political and peace activism. [DES-10/19]