On the Ning Nang Nong
By Spike Milligan
On the Ning Nang Nong
Where the cows go Bong!
and the monkeys all say BOO!
There’s a Nong Nang Ning
Where the trees go Ping!
And the teapots jibber jabber joo.
On the Nong Ning Nang
All the mice go Clang
And you just can’t catch ‘em when they do!
So it’s Ning Nang Nong
Cows go Bong!
Nong Nang Ning
Trees go Ping
Nong Ning Nang
The mice go Clang
What a noisy place to belong
is the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!!
Summary of On the Ning Nang Nong
“On the Ning Nang Nong” is a delightfully whimsical poem that transports readers to an imaginary world filled with playful sounds and nonsensical happenings. The poem describes a fantastical place, the Ning Nang Nong, where familiar creatures and objects – cows, monkeys, trees, teapots, and mice – make peculiar noises like “Bong,” “Boo,” “Ping,” “Clang,” and “jibber jabber joo.” The poem is less about a narrative and more about creating a joyful, sonic landscape, celebrating the power of imagination and the sheer fun of nonsense. At its heart, “On the Ning Nang Nong” invites us to embrace a world where the ordinary is delightfully skewed and where playfulness reigns supreme.
Major Themes
- The Power of Imagination: The poem isn’t about a realistic place; it’s a space constructed entirely from imagination. It demonstrates how readily we can create fantastical worlds simply by changing how we perceive things.
- Joyful Absurdity: The poem revels in the nonsensical. It doesn’t attempt to explain or justify the bizarre sounds but instead encourages us to find joy in the unexpected and illogical.
- The Music of Language: “On the Ning Nang Nong” emphasizes the sounds of words themselves. The poem prioritizes rhythm and rhyme over strict meaning, turning language into a playful, musical experience.
Analysis of Literary Devices
Alliteration
Alliteration, the repetition of initial consonant sounds, is subtly woven throughout the poem, contributing to its musicality. Notice how “trees go Ping” uses the repetition of the ‘p’ sound, creating a gentle, echoing effect. Similarly, the repeated ‘n’ sounds in phrases like “Ning Nang Nong” and “Nong Nang Ning” further reinforce the poem’s unique soundscape.
Assonance
Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds, also enhances the poem’s lyrical quality. The long “o” sound in “Cows go Bong!” and the recurrence of similar vowel sounds throughout the poem create an internal harmony, binding the verses together. Listen to how the “oo” sound in “moonkeys” and “jibbber jabber joo” subtly connect these images within the poem’s soundscape.
Consonance
The repetitive use of consonant sounds, particularly the ‘ng’ and ‘g’ sounds in “Ning Nang Nong” and “go Bong,” creates a rhythmic echo that is characteristic of the poem. This pattern isn’t accidental; it’s a deliberate technique to reinforce the poem’s playful, almost chant-like quality. Consider the line “mice go Clang,” where the ‘ng’ sound subtly echoes the poem’s central refrain.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia, words that imitate sounds, is arguably the most prominent device in the poem. “Bong,” “Ping,” and “Clang” aren’t just words; they are attempts to capture the sounds of these objects in the Ning Nang Nong. The effectiveness of this technique lies in its ability to immediately transport the reader into this imaginative world, allowing us to “hear” the sounds alongside the poem’s rhythm.
Repetition
The recurring refrain, “On the Ning Nang Nong,” acts as a grounding element amid the poem’s playful chaos. This repetition isn’t merely structural; it serves to emphasize the poem’s central idea—the joy of being in this imagined world. The repeated sounds throughout the poem—“Cows go Bong,” “Trees go Ping,” “Mice go Clang”—create a captivating, musical rhythm that draws the reader in.
Imagery
Although the poem is largely nonsensical, it nevertheless generates vivid mental images. We can easily picture cows making a booming “Bong” sound, trees emitting a metallic “Ping,” and teapots chattering away. These images, though whimsical, are remarkably clear, stimulating the imagination and allowing us to construct our own unique version of the Ning Nang Nong.
Poetic Devices and Structure
Diction
Spike Milligan deliberately uses playful, invented phrases to achieve the poem’s unique tone. While the words themselves aren’t strictly nonsensical, they are deliberately skewed and unexpected. This combination of familiarity and novelty contributes to the poem’s sense of delightful absurdity. The phrase “jibber jabber joo,” for example, suggests chatter but remains delightfully undefined.
End Rhyme & Rhythm
The poem employs a simple end rhyme scheme (Bong/Nong, Ping/Ning, Clang/Nong), creating a sense of predictability and musicality. Milligan isn’t overly concerned with strict adherence to a formal rhyme scheme. Instead, the poem prioritizes rhythm and sound over strict metrical regularity. This creates a conversational, child-like quality that makes the poem accessible and enjoyable.
Stanza and Form
The poem consists of a single, continuous stanza, mirroring the unbroken flow of imagination. This deliberate choice underscores the poem’s central idea: the boundless, uninterrupted nature of creative play. There are no distinct breaks or separations, reinforcing the sense that the Ning Nang Nong is a unified, interconnected world.
Tone
The poem’s tone is overwhelmingly lighthearted, playful, and whimsical. The absurd imagery, nonsensical sounds, and repetitive rhythm all contribute to a sense of carefree joy. It invites us to abandon logical expectations and embrace the sheer fun of imagination, creating a delightful and engaging experience for readers of all ages.
Interpretation: How Each Part Builds the Central Message
- Opening lines: By establishing the location, “On the Ning Nang Nong,” and introducing the first unusual sound – “Where the cows go Bong!” – Milligan immediately signals that we are entering a world where ordinary rules don’t apply.
- Middle verses: The gradual introduction of new creatures and objects—monkeys, trees, teapots, mice—expands the scope of this imaginative world, demonstrating that everything within it is subject to playful transformation.
- Refrains: The repeated refrain, “On the Ning Nang Nong,” serves as a grounding element, reminding us that all these whimsical images are interconnected within a single, shared space of imagination.
- Closing lines: The emphatic declaration that it is “the Ning Nang Ning Nang Nong!!” reinforces the poem’s central message—that nonsense can be celebrated as its own kind of reality, encouraging us to embrace creativity without restraint.
Through simple language, rhythmic playfulness, and a deliberate embrace of the absurd, Spike Milligan’s “On the Ning Nang Nong” teaches us that imagination has the power to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. The carefully chosen literary devices work in harmony to create a memorable, sing‑along experience that delights readers and encourages them to embrace the joy of playful creativity.