Tommy and Bessie walking and talking through the city park

Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks

As Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks
Were walking out one Sunday;
Says Tommy Snooks to Bessie Brooks,
“Tomorrow will be Monday.”

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Posted in All Rhymes, Daily Life & Objects, Mother Goose Classics, People & Characters

Tagged Bessie, conversation, Monday, Sunday, Tommy, walking

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Meaning

The rhyme features Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks taking a walk together, with the punchline “Tomorrow will be Monday.” Its humor comes from the unexpected triviality of the comment, portraying simple companionship and gentle banter. Some oral versions add playful proposals or lines about marriage, playing on typical courtship.

Origin

The rhyme appears in various 19th-century Mother Goose collections and chapbooks, such as A Book of Nursery Songs and Rhymes and Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes. It follows a tradition of pairing names and documenting everyday courtship or simple situations.

Time Period

Documented in print since the early 1800s, with oral transmission likely earlier.

Why It Became Popular

Its brevity and good-natured absurdity make it easy to remember and recite. The rhyme works well for pair games, walking songs, and as light-hearted filler in longer nursery rhyme sequences.

Structure and Style

Meter: Brief, narrative couplets
Rhyme Scheme: AABB
Line Count: Four (standard version)
Style Notes: Simple, conversational, courtship theme

Themes

Companionship
Walking and talking
Weekly cycle
Light romance

Language Notes

The names “Snooks” and “Brooks” are chosen for their rhythmic and playful sounds. The closing line comments on the day of the week, ending the rhyme with gentle understatement.

Moral or Lesson

No direct moral; expresses camaraderie and the pleasantness of simple conversation.

Historical or Cultural Notes

The rhyme is used as a walking song or at the end of rhyme collections as a gentle closer. Its structure is mirrored in many traditional English verses involving named pairs and simple happenings.

Notable Variants

Occasionally, versions add lines about marriage proposals or continue the poem with further mundane or romantic exchanges.

Appearances in Media or Literature

Found in most major Mother Goose anthologies, nursery rhyme websites, and classic illustrated collections. Sometimes referenced in plays and songs for children.

Suggested Activities

Role Play: Act out the walk and funny conversation between Tommy and Bessie.
Art Project: Draw the pair strolling, perhaps inventing the next day’s activity.
Rhyme Extension: Add new verses about days of the week or topic for conversation.
Music Time: Create a melody for the rhyme and march along.

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