The teacher claimed it was so plain, I only had to use my brain She said the past of throw was threw, The past of grow – of course – was grew, So flew must be the past of fly, And now my boy, your turn to try. But when I trew I had no clue If mow was mew Like know and knew (Or is it knowed Like snow and snowed?)
The teacher frowned at me and said The past of free was – plainly – fed. Fed up, I knew then what I ned: I took a break, and out I snoke, She shook and quook (or quaked? or quoke?) With raging anger out she broke: Your ignorance you want to hide? Tell me the past form of collide! But how on earth should I decide If it's collid (Like hide and hid), Or else – from all that I surmose The past of rise was simply rose, And that of ride was surely rode, So of collide must be collode?
Oh damn these English verbs, I thought The whole thing absolutely stought! Of English I have had enough, These verbs of yours are far too tough. Bolt upright in my chair I sat, And said to here 'that's that' – I quat. - Guy Deutscher
