Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE DUMB WORLD (1) by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES

Poet Analysis

First Line: I CANNOT SEE THE SHORT, WHITE CURLS
Last Line: A DUMB THING NEAR A DRUNKEN MAN.

I cannot see the short, white curls
Upon the forehead of an Ox,
But what I see them dripping with
That poor thing's blood, and hear the axe;
When I see calves and lambs, I see
Them led to death; I see no bird
Or rabbit cross the open field
But what a sudden shot is heard;
A shout that tells me men aim true,
For death or wound, doth chill me through.

The shot that kills a hare or bird
Doth pass through me; I feel the wound
When those poor things find peace in death,
And when I hear no more that sound.
These cat-like men do hate to see
Small lives in happy motion; I
Would almost rather hide my face
From Nature than pass these men by;
And rather see a battle than
A dumb thing near a drunken man.



Home: PoetryExplorer.net