The simple past, I do believe,
Is curious when it comes to “leave”;
It’s just as clear that “left” is right
As “smote” will be the past of “smite”.
There’s “ran” from “run” and “did” from “do”
While “slay” (to kill) is changed to “slew”.
But “say” is different; there it’s “said”
To rhyme with “led” and “bled” or “fled”
Which come from “lead” and “bleed”, though “flee”
Is different, as with “saw” from “see”.
Or “light” to “lit” and “bite” to “bit”
While there’s no change at all with “hit”.
My teacher knew – and still he knows –
That “freeze” and “choose” give “froze” and “chose”
From “lose”, “make”, “meet”, we’ve “lost”, “made”, “met”
But I forgot and still forget
The vowel that changes “win” to “won”
Is not the same in “spin” and “spun”.
The time to rise and shine has gone
(The sun – it rose and then it shone)
I now wear clothes I never wore
And swear at times I never swore.
I swim now less than once I swam
Strange English teacher that I am.
