Jeremy Shatan wrote from New York: "It’s the vernal equinox, the first day of spring. Around this time of the year, my mom would always say: ‘Spring has sprung, the grass is riz, the boid is on the wing.’ Yes, just like that."
This saying is all in "New Yorkese", a New York accent. It seems of course to come from the New York area. Some quote it from Ogden Nash, but from what I can tell looking through some books, this is incorrect.
The saying is sometimes called "The Brooklyn National Anthem" and it dates back to at least 1940. There are many versions of it. Here’s one:
Spring has sprung, the grass is ris,
I wonder where the boidies is
The boid is on the wing,
But that’s absoid
From what I hoid
The wing is on the boid!
Here are other versions I found:
The spring is sprung, The grass is ris, I wonder where the birdies is.
(1951 – The New Mexico folklore record: Volume 6)Spring has sprung The grass has riz Come out yourself And see how ‘tiz.
(1956 – Canadian bee journal: Volumes 64-65)
And a sadly rye one:
"Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, where last year’s reckless driver is."
Some others:
"Spring has sprung and the grass has riz, I wonder where the flowers is."
"Spring has sprung and the grass has riz, I wonder where the daisies is."
However you want to say it, the important part here is that Spring has sprung.
Happy Spring everyone!
Mama Lisa
This article was posted on Tuesday, March 20th, 2012 at 11:43 am and is filed under Countries & Cultures, England, English, Languages, New York, Poetry, Poets, Proverbs, Sayings, Sayings from the 1940's, Seasonal, Spring, USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
71 Responses to “Spring Has Sprung, The Grass is Riz”
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May 14th, 2021 at 9:57 pm
As a kid I had a large volume called Encyclopedia Of American Humor
Among a collection of Ogden Nash doggerel was this:
Spring has sprung
The grass is riz
I wunda where the
Flowers iz
September 1st, 2021 at 8:52 pm
My mom, Barbara Firestone, has been reciting this poem to me every spring for as long as I can remember. I have now passed the same to my daughter. I never knew anyone else who knew this poem. I have found my people!!
Slight variation:
Spring has sprung
The grass has griz
Where oh where the boidie is?
The boid is on the wing
No, no! That’s absoid!
The wing is on the boid!
September 2nd, 2021 at 12:28 am
This has been an interesting read through. I’m in Australia as well, and my mother always recited a rather gruesome version that I have somewhat passed to my own children.
The spring has spring,
The grass has riz.
I wonder where the birdies is?
Tiny weeny wittle (little) things,
Have no feathers on their wings.
Cannot fly and cannot sing…
Chop their bloody heads off.
The end always came as such a shock from such a sweet sounding poem… even when I knew it was coming.
It is still a favourite today.
September 4th, 2021 at 6:45 am
Sorry, The spring has sprung … did anyone else suffer the auto correct function without noticing lol
October 22nd, 2021 at 10:28 pm
Spring has sprung
The grass has riz
I not know who I are
Nor what I iz
With apologies to the original poem !!
February 8th, 2022 at 10:47 am
My Dad used to add.
Winters here the wind will blew
The rain will friz
And it will snew.
March 17th, 2022 at 3:19 pm
Spring has sprung
The road has riz
I wonder where the pavement is?
March 22nd, 2022 at 10:15 pm
Here’s a version I knew growing up:
Spring has sprung, the grass has riz
I wonder where the boidies is
The boidies are high in the sky
Dropping whitewash in my eye
I’m a good boy, I don’t cry
I’m just glad the cows don’t fly
March 23rd, 2022 at 6:19 pm
Spring has sprung …give me a nice one
April 26th, 2022 at 1:09 am
The “careless driver” version, or something close to it at least, was used in a Burma-Shave jingle.
April 26th, 2022 at 3:34 pm
Excellent .. lots of memories of that rhyme…
Thankx for sharing
Susan
May 14th, 2022 at 6:10 pm
My uncle had another version but short…
Spring has sprung, the grass is riz,
But only where the steam pipes iz!
He lived in an area that had a lot of steam pipes.
January 23rd, 2023 at 2:23 am
I always thought that this was attributed to Damon Runyon (Guys & Dolls etc).
Which would make sense because of the use of Boid which would a be Bronx pronunciation of Bird.
Runyon’s short stories are full of Bronx-isms and they are extremely funny.
March 19th, 2023 at 5:57 pm
Our Dad (I’m 2nd oldest of 7) recited this is some variation my whole growing up life, He also had one where 6 of us pretended to be trees 1 (usually me if I remember right) would weave in and out amongst the trees while he spouted beautiful words about spring and the punch line? “and look! the sap is running through the trees”. OH and he would always say (when driving over train tracks: “you gotta keep your eyes open around here” I had to say “but, why, Dad?” To which he was to reply “there are trains about” and I say “how do you know? do you hear them?” He’d say “NO but one left tracks”. I miss my dad and thank him for the sense of humour that has been getting me into trouble my whole life!
March 30th, 2023 at 6:01 am
Perhaps you’d consider a small revision to an apparently “rum” phrasing, early on:
“And a sadly rye one:
“Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, where last year’s reckless driver is.”
I believe the writer means, a sadly “wry” comment. (Of course, if one believes the driver “reckless” through alcohol intoxication, then a “rye” comment may be in order. At a distance, I and other readers, lack that very specific information. So, I prefer a “wry” comment. Cheers!
April 3rd, 2023 at 5:35 pm
One more version:
Spring has sprung
The grass is riz
I wonder where
My lawn mower is
April 10th, 2023 at 4:06 am
Limericks were big with Mom born in 1928…
I heard her reciting this in a spot in sing song Brooklynese dialect…
every spring.
RIP – Little Ruthie Paige
Spring has sprung
Da grass is GRiZ,
I wonder where all da flowers is?
Da Boird is on da wing…but dat’s obsoird!
Da wing is on the Boird.
December 11th, 2023 at 1:34 pm
Spring has sprung
The grass has ris.
Wonder where the flowers is?
They are nowhere to be found
‘Cause they’re underground.
December 15th, 2023 at 2:08 am
My father used to recite a similar poem to me as a young child. He passed away at age 94. He was born in Ohio in 1924.
Spring has sprung
The grass has riz
I wonder where the boidies is
Thoity poiple boids
Sitting’ on a coibstone
A choipin’ and a boipin’
And a eatin’ doity oithwoims.
March 14th, 2024 at 8:57 pm
My dad always added:
Spring is sprung
Fall is fell
Winter’s here
And it’s cold as heck
March 19th, 2024 at 12:25 am
Spring haz sprung the flowes haz riz the boid is on the wing.
Now ain’t dat absoid I’ve always hoid
That the wing was on the boid.