Polar Bears seem to be at full capacity in two areas

Wagner was anti-Semitic but can't have been a Nazi!

A fine tradition in Uk poetry the humour one.

I hesitated but make bold to add that the poem does not originate in the Edwardian music hall but is a creation of Les Barker whose work often recollects the monologues of Stanley Holloway (Albert at the zoo). Although English, since taking up residence in Wales, Les Barker has become fluent in Welsh. In 2008 he was awarded the NIACE Inspire Award as Welsh Learner of the Year and recited his poem "Have you Got Any News of the Iceberg?" in Welsh at the presentation in Swansea. Other poems include Alexander Greyhound Bell, The Twilight of the Dogs and Guide Cats. Quirky.
I will now duck down to avoid the mass outrage and condemnation of references to the visually impaired, Wagner (who was a Nazi) and telephone inventors.

carbon I don't give a flying fart about the fucking wolves.

It really is not sad!

#mawkish

Jess you will find that I was one of the first on the Marmite ad thread to say how funny I thought it was.

I'm not at all sure Blackadder really did exactly make fun of WW1. In fact, towards the end it became quite poignant.

The poem is crap but would probably have been appreciated by the Victorian music hall goers.

I am not at all outraged about it. Just a bit surprised.

#noi'mnotthisisgransnet

Indeed deeda and the poem about the polar bear is sad too

But the last Black Adder didn't make light of World War 1. In a paradoxical way the humour underlined the horror and stupidity of the whole thing. I found it sat very well with All Quiet on the Western Front and the poems of Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, and the finale was so sad.

Haven't even read the poem.
but I have walked in forests where wolves live, and bears, and its not even occurred to me to be scared. What do you think people do who live in Europe or America? If you want actually see a wolf you have to creep about and stay still for hours on end - the slightest hint that humans are about and they disappear. Its extremely rare for wolves to attach humans. You are far more likely to be attacked by a dog than a wolf. Or a cow - cows are especially dangerous and humans get killed by cows every year, not to mention bulls.

Have you got round to complaining about the Marmite ad yet jo8?
Or Blackadder? Particularly the last one that made light of WW1.

Gracesmum - of course it is nonsense to say the poem is insensitive. It is just a bit of comic verse. For goodness sake, we will be afraid to post anything soon, in case somebody accuses us of being insensitive. I speak as somebody who has also been accused of insensitivity in a most ridiculous way.
Most families lost somebody in WWII, but nobody objects to 'Dad's Army'. I hope!!!

Elegran

Yes, I found it a bit over-sentimental, and typical of that era, but not insensitive. I think sometimes people are looking out very assiduously for reasons to be outraged, while being astounded that anything they posted could possibly cause offence.

How far back do we have to go before making even the slightest reference to a traumatic event? The Norman Conquest for example - can we say "That is one in the eye for . . ." someone, without causing offence to descendents of Harold?

Just re-read the poem gracesmum.... and I totally agree with you! Nothing like the jokes about 9/11.
I think it's exactly as you say, FlicketyB typical of the poems/music-hall songs of the day BUT in no way offensive!

But then I love 'Albert and the 'orse's 'ead 'andle' as well

gracesmum I thought it was quite amusing too. Not sure what all the fuss is about I thought it was typical sentimentalism of its time. I must be missing something here.

That's a bit OTT. It is NOTHING like "jokes about 9/11", not that I have encountered any but I apologise if it offended.

A bit like jokes about 9/11. Like you j08 I recoiled from it. I think it is to do when it was written. It would have been written as a music hall humourous song. Written to day, it would probably be a conservationist's anthem.

What?!

The verse thing is in BAD TASTE. People died when the Titanic sank.

And I suppose Little Red Riding Hood is about wolves and Goldilocks is about bears?

Gracesmum the "poem" is a set of comic verses on the theme of the Titanic. If you can't see how obnoxious that is, well, I give up.

Sorry. Was swatting a little insect thing against the screen of my Fire.

Sorry. I was spotting a little index

I don't think there would be too many walkers in Scottish forests if wolves were on the loose!