By: Pookman

Lights up.

Tonight, we are going to read from the book. Not the good book, but the great book. Let us begin.

Little Bo Peep.

Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep,
And doesn't know where to find them.
Leave them alone,
And they'll come home,
Wagging' their tales behind them.

Let us examine this passage in a closer detail, shall we? Little, not big, not large, not imposing, but little Bo, not a scary name, peep, not a scary name either. Little Bo Peep has lost, not set aside, not misplaced, not forgotten about, but lost her sheep; and she doesn't know where to find them. Can you see the situation? Can you feel the intense moral dilemma that this little girl faces? On one side you got the sheep. On the other side you got the Peep. And, somewhere in the vast middle of time and space, the irreprehensible lost. Sheep, Peep, lost. Sheep, Peep, lost. {Deep Laugh} But, oh but! Say the antagonists, "Leave them alone." And but, say the protagonists, "and they'll come home." On one side you got the antagonists, and on the other side you got the protagonists. The antagonists, the protagonists, the agnostics, the believers, and--never breaking contact from the central character--the podiatrist. Can I get an "amen?" And thus, my brothers and sisters we arrive at the grand conclusion. "Leave them alone, and they'll come home, wagging , not dragging, no, but wagging their tails behind, and not once in front of, them. And isn't that the true moral of the story?

Thank you, and may the Mother keep you.

Lights out. "Nursery Rhyme Preacher" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR

• September 15, 2000 - No Shame Iowa City
  

  Performed by Pookman

• June 10, 2005 - National Best of No Shame at Piccolo Spoleto (Charleston)
  

  Performed by Todd Ristau

[Back to: Library]