Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, KITTEN AND FALLEN LEAVES, by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

KITTEN AND FALLEN LEAVES, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: See the kitten on the wall
Last Line: For the plaudits of the crowd?
Subject(s): Animals; Cats


See the Kitten on the wall,
Sporting with leaves that fall,
Withered leaves -- one-two-and three --
From the lofty elder-tree!
Through the calm and frosty air
Of this morning bright and fair,
Eddying round and round they sink
Softly, slowly: one might think,
From the motions that are made,
Every little leaf conveyed
Sylph or Faery hither tending,
To this lower world descending,
Each invisible and mute
In his wavering parachute.

But the Kitten, how she starts,
Crouches, stretches, paws, and darts!
First at one, and then its fellow
Just as light and just as yellow.
There are many now -- now one --
Now they stop and there are none:
What intenseness of desire
In her upward eye of fire!
With a tiger-leap half-way
Now she meets the coming prey,
Lets it go as fast, and then
Has it in her power again:
Now she works with three or four,
Like an Indian conjurer;
Quick as he in feats of art,
Far beyond in joy of heart.
Were her antics played in the eye
Of a thousand standers-by,
Clapping hands with shout and stare,
What would little Tabby care
For the plaudits of the crowd?





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