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25.4.24

POOH BEAR

 

POOH BEAR

 Pooh was different – he was special –

he wasn’t yellow, he was red;

born one Christmas in a stocking

on the end of John’s small bed.

 He and John were never parted,

everywhere together travelled,

till one day with all that loving

Pooh’s red tummy came unravelled.

 ‘Oh!’ said Pooh Bear, ‘All my stuffing’s

coming out!’ ‘Don’t fret’ said Mum,

‘Here’s a bit of good strong sort of

stripey fabric for your tum.’

 So she set to work and made his

tum and back and legs like new;

Pooh and John could go on playing -

that was all that bothered Pooh.

 ........................................................


Anyone who knows and loves A.A.Milne's writing will realise why I chose this Pooh Bear poem today. It's taken from a book of poems I wrote for my children about their special toys, and the story of John's Pooh Bear is true.

In fact, years later, I was asked to re-cover Pooh completely so that he would be hygienic enough for John's own son!

If you would like to read the book, it's on Amazon - STRIPEY CAT and Other Poems.

Thanks as ever to Rochelle, our never-failing hostess, and to Fleur Lind for this week's image, which took me straight to the Ashdown Forest in Sussex, UK, and to the tree in which lived the owl known to Christopher Robin as Wol.



21 comments:

  1. Good for another generation at least

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    1. I had to prove to my son, with a series of photos, that the original bear was inside the new skin.

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  2. Oh yes, Liz. I love this most original take on the prompt!

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    1. Thank you, Dale - have you read the Christopher Robin stories and poems? They are timeless.

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  3. A gorgeous poem. And thank you for sharing the backstory of your son's and grandson's love for their own Pooh Bear. Pooh was a favourite with my young ones too.

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    1. I think Pooh was a favourite with thousands of children, yet each was uniquely loved.

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  4. This is such a cherished memory. I'm so glad you found a way to preserve it (and Pooh!) for generations to come! -Angela

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    1. Thanks, Angela - the process of re- covering Pooh was a tough one. Fortunately I still had the pattern from when I originally made him all those years previously!

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  5. Oh, I love where you went with this! Back in the '70's I sewed and entire set of all the Pooh Bear stories characters for my mom, to display in the library she was head of, and my sister, to display in her classroom. Recently, my sister sent me the set I made for her. I'm trying to decide what to do with them as we downsize our clutter. Thanks for bringing back the memory of sewing each character. Alicia Jamtaas

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    1. Those patterns were true to the original drawings, too. Since Pooh has been taken over by Disney they're not the same. You can't throw them away!

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  6. Pooh and his friends have long been a favourite of mine. Can you recover my bear🙂from Mike Humphris

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    1. Send me a photograph and I'll think about it!

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  7. Oh this is fabulous. Terrific lyrical story! Well fone

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  8. I love where the picture took you! Great that Pooh lived to see another day - and beyond!
    There's little I like more than wandering around Ashdown Forest on a sunny afternoon!

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    1. It's such a peaceful place, and so very English.

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  9. Dear Lizy,
    This is so sweet. Love the history behind the poem.
    Shalom,
    Rochelle

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  10. thecontemplativecat here. Love this story! I have sewn/mended my gr-kids' stuffed animals.

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