Mary had a little lamb,
with fleece as white as snow,
and everywhere that Mary went
her lamb was sure to go.
The English learn this verse in youth,
it frolicks from their tongues like truth,
while narrative, strict-form and rhyme
no longer fit our time.
For words are formed in such a way
that there are beats in what we say,
and verses made of beat and rhyme
will last beyond our time.
Mary�s lamb, now stone-cold dead,
still follows her within my head,
will follow me where�er I go:
with fleece as white as snow.