Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MOLE CATCHER, by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: With coat like any mole's, as soft and black Last Line: There's not a peal in england sounds so well. Alternate Author Name(s): Blunden, Edmund Subject(s): Animals; England; Labor & Laborers; Landscape; Moles; English; Work; Workers | ||||||||
WITH coat like any mole's, as soft and black, And hazel bows bundled beneath his arm, With long-helved spade and rush bag on his back, The trapper plods alone about the farm: And spies new mounds in the ripe pasture-land, And where the lob-worms writhe up in alarm And easy sinks the spade, he takes his stand Knowing the moles' dark highroad runs below: Then sharp and square he chops the turf, and day Gloats on the opened turnpike through the clay. Out from his wallet hurry pin and prong, And trap, and noose to tie it to the bow; And then his grand arcanum, oily and strong, Found out by his forefather years ago To scent the peg and witch the moles along. The bow is earthed and arched ready to shoot And snatch the death-knot fast round the first mole Who comes and snuffs well pleased and tries to root Past the sly nose peg; back again is put The mould, and death left smirking in the hole. The old man goes and tallies all his snares And finds the prisoners there and takes his toll. And moles to him are only moles; but hares See him afield and scarcely cease to nip Their dinners, for he harms not them; he spares The drowning fly that of his ale would sip And throws the ant the crumbs of comradeship. And every time he comes into his yard Grey linnet knows he brings the groundsel sheaf, And clatters round the cage to be unbarred, And on his finger whistles twice as hard. -- What his old vicar says, is his belief, In the side pew he sits and hears the truth; And never misses once to ring his bell On Sundays night and morn, nor once since youth Has heard the chimes afield, but has heard tell There's not a peal in England sounds so well. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AFTER WORKING SIXTY HOURS AGAIN FOR WHAT REASON by HICOK. BOB DAY JOB AND NIGHT JOB by ANDREW HUDGINS BIXBY'S LANDING by ROBINSON JEFFERS ON BUILDING WITH STONE by ROBINSON JEFFERS LINES FROM A PLUTOCRATIC POETASTER TO A DITCH-DIGGER by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS IN CALIFORNIA: MORNING, EVENING, LATE JANUARY by DENISE LEVERTOV ALMSWOMEN by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN |
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