If Ten were Twenty
Is there any reason why
A zero should be naught,
Except that that is what we’re taught ?
But just to wonder, by-the-by,
If we could write an oh for ten,
And only turn the corner when
We reach eleven once agen,
And double-digits start.
And when we get to twenty, so
We’d write it as a one-and-oh.
(Perhaps we’ll call it ‘tenteen’, though,
To fit the part.)
It all works fine till ninety-nine,
Then ninety-ten for a hundred dead –
With still just two within the bed.
But the twins then run to oh-and-one,
Till oh-and-oh for a hundred-and-ten,
But dammit, we should be triple by then…!
Rhyming Couplets 