About the Poem

Max's illustrations bring vividly to life the poor Anthony Alphonso Antonio Jedd, the boy born with a shoe for a head.

Style

Nonsense Poem

Length

16 lines

Key Stage

KS2, KS3

Author

Max Scratchmann

Shoe Boy

The shoe boy, from Max Scratchmann's nonsense poem of the same name

Anthony Alphonso Antonio Jedd
Was a boy who was born with a shoe for a head,
It wasn’t very pretty in one oh so young,
But at least he had eyelets and a malleable tongue.

He went to the doctor and said with a sigh,
Can you help with this problem or else I will die?
I’m quite antisocial and I dread the warm weather,
When the hot summer sun puts cracks in my leather.

The doctor from The Shoe Boy nonsense poem

The physician he pondered and scratched at his head,
I think, my young fellow, I’ll send you to bed,
There no-one will see you, the problem’s resolved,
Now very good day to you, your worries are solved.

But hang on, said Anthony, that solution is rife,
I can’t stay in bed for my whole blooming life,
True, said the doctor, we must boredom abolish,
I’ll send my old nurse round to give you a polish.

The nurse from the Shoe Boy nonsense poem