Friday, January 26, 2007

Poetry Friday: Ted Hughes, again



I just can't stay away from my absolute favorite book of poetry for children, Ted Hughes' Collected Poems for Children (illustrated by Raymond Briggs).

This volume was published in the U.K. in 2005. Today's choice is "Pig."

Pig

I am the Pig.

I saw in my sleep
A dreadful egg.

What a thing to have seen!
And what can it mean

That the Sun's red eye
Which seems to fry
In the dawn sky
So frightens me?

Why should that be?
The meaning is deep.

Upward at these
Hard mysteries

A humble hog
I gape agog.

I think Hughes underestimates the noble pig, who is rumored to be quite intelligent. Still it's a sadly subversive poem.

Susan at Chicken Spaghetti is on the round up this week. Thanks, Susan!