I walked along the beach,

Just after dawn,

Buttoning my jacket

On a misty morn.

The air was clinging,

Cool and damp.

I came across what looked

Like an old oil lamp.

It had been washed up

On the foamy shore.

I gave it a rub,

Hoping to restore.

Suddenly I got a shock,

A genie appeared,

A funny little genie

With long flowing beard.

He granted me three wishes.

But I was too reckless, me.

“I wish I’d believed in you!

I’d have prepared three!”

“We can’t go back in time,”

He said which was no jest.

“Your first wish impossible,

You have two wishes left.”

 

Annoyed to have wasted one,

I now had to use my head.

“I wish for peace on earth,

With no more wars,” I said.

“That is a tall order,” says he,

“But this wish I can bless.

I can grant you peace on earth.

You have just one wish left.”

Well, what else could I ask for?

I asked for a million pounds.

He narrowed his eyes at me.

“My powers do have bounds!”

He said I was too greedy,

He was not of unlimited funds.

Though he admitted half of that

He could have easily done.

“Great!” I cried. “Half a million?!”

“Amend wishes? That I cannot do!”

And then with a puff of smoke,

He vanished into the blue.

 

How many people can there be

Who meet a genie by chance

That leaves them no better off

And wandering in a trance?

So I hope this freaking world

Knows just who to thank

When there’s no more bloody wars!!!

And I've got nothing in the bank!!