The Lama
The one-l lama,
He's a priest.
The two-l llama,
He's a beast.
And I will bet
A silk pajama
There isn't any
Three-l lllama.*
Commentary
(to which Nash appended the footnote
*The author’s attention has been called to a type of conflagration known as a three-alarmer. Pooh.
)
This is probably Nash’s best known poem, and for good reason. Not only does he provide a wonderfully quotable mnemonic, he goes on to extend it with an almost Carrollian piece of whimsy, carrying the progression through to its logical conclusion (why isn’t there a three-l lllama anyway?). And the footnote is a delightful piece of icing on the cake, there being something so Nashian about the pun that I have to wonder whether it was part of the poem all along.
— Martin
Afterthought
‘llama’ would, of course, be pronounced ‘yama’ in the original Spanish, though it has been quite thoroughly Anglicised by now.
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From the Wondering Minstrels mailing list, 1999–2008.
John Beaty · 23 August 2002
Dear Martin:
Love the poems, and this one (Nash) is one of my favorites, too. But llama is actually a Quechua (or Kechua i.e. Andean indiginous) word that most likely was pronounced as it is spelled, given that, as far as I can find out late on a Friday night, it is pronounced in Spanish as it is in English (i.e. lama). Etymology from Webster’s Encyclopedic Dictionary 2nd ed., pronunciation from a Professor of Spanish at U Conn, Stamford.
Glad to see the poems again! All my best,
John
Steve Campbell · 23 August 2002
Without wishing to knock the poem in any way, which is quite funny, I would just point out that it is not really a mnemonic as it doesn’t provide a way to remember which is L and which is LL. In the poem “beast” and “priest” could be swapped over and its still equally memorable.
Just being pedantic…
Steve
Pierre Malraison · 5 September 2002
A 3 ell lllama is a hell of a fire.
[say it out loud :-)]
=====
Michael Burger · 19 October 2002
Hi
I just love the “lama” poem, and some years ago, composed an alternate ending:
“And you can bet your silk pajama:
when there’as a monster fire, it’s a three-alarmer.”
Love the site, thanks loads
Michael Burger
Blessed be
Gerald Obrecht · 29 April 2003
On this, you can bet your mama.
Dan and/or Jackie Kimball · 13 August 2005
What is there to comment? A poem should not mean but be.