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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE WORM TURNS, by ISABEL ECCLESTONE MACKAY Poet's Biography
First Line: A naughty child just pulled me out of bed
Last Line: Until some naughty little child comes by!
Subject(s): Children; Childhood
First Line: A naughty child just pulled me out of bed
Last Line: Until some naughty little child comes by!
Subject(s): Children; Childhood
A NAUGHTY child just pulled me out of bed.
"O what an ugly, squashy worm!" he said,
And he meant me!—
'Tis strange how ignorant a child can be.
I "squashy"?—I, so gently born and bred,
That rose-leaves make a pillow for my head,
While in the heart
Of some sweet bud I watch its petals part?
And "ugly"?—I, so slim, so full of grace
That when my silky length is coiled in place,
Brown row on row,
A finer sight no summer day can show.
I wish that I might take these children rough
And show them where I live! 'Twould be enough
To make them stare
In wonder and amazement and despair—
No child that lives has such a home as I!
For roof it has a bit of bluest sky
So that the rain
And dew and sun peep in and out again.
Its walls are hung with crimson and its floor
Is strewn with golden pollen, and its door,
All made of green,
Is just the daintiest portal ever seen!
My food is delicate. I daily fare
On crumpled petals, dew-steeped, very rare—
Oh, happy I!—
Until some naughty little child comes by!
Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!
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THE THREE CHILDREN by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN
CHILDREN SELECTING BOOKS IN A LIBRARY by RANDALL JARRELL
COME TO THE STONE ... by RANDALL JARRELL
THE LOST WORLD by RANDALL JARRELL
A SICK CHILD by RANDALL JARRELL
CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS
ON THE DEATH OF FRIENDS IN CHILDHOOD by DONALD JUSTICE
THE POET AT SEVEN by DONALD JUSTICE
A CHRISTMAS CHILD by ISABEL ECCLESTONE MACKAY