Speaking of Socks

A relic from high school English, loosely inspired by Chesterton's brilliant Variations on an Air. Points if you can identify some or all of the references.

White socks glinting in the rays of the sun,
as they’re put out with the washing when the laundry has been done,
and the socks upon the clothesline were as banners in the breeze,
for the wind is blowing westerly and whispers in the trees.

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye,
four and twenty black socks baked in a pie,
When the pie was opened, the socks began to sing;
Wasn’t that a pretty dish to set before the king?

There are footprints in the sod,
where the feet of men have trod,
and they leave their footprints everywhere they go;
Feet in socks and socks in shoes,
white socks, black socks, reds and blues, but
whose socks were the blue socks I don’t know.

To be or not to be, that is the question;
whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
or to take up socks against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing mend them.

On the feet of kings and princes are the socks of high renown,
and they wear their socks upon their feet as proud as any crown;
The socks upon their heraldry are sable as the night,
but the socks upon their feet are glinting golden in the light.

If all the world were paper,
and all the sea were rocks;
If all the trees were bread and cheese,
what would we do for socks?

I don’t want to open the drawer with my socks,
I’ve got it closed up now with all kinds of locks;
I do not trust it, whatever it is,
Timeo Danaos et soccos gerentis.

Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum,
I smell the socks of an English-mun;
And now our tale is over and done.

Finis