Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE CROW'S CHILDREN, by PHOEBE CARY Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: A huntsman, bearing his gun afield Last Line: "she can't tell black from white!" Subject(s): Birds; Crows | ||||||||
A HUNTSMAN, bearing his gun a-field, Went whistling merrily; When he heard the blackest of black crows Call out from a withered tree: "You are going to kill the thievish birds, And I would if I were you; But you mus n't touch my family, Whatever else you do!" "I'm only going to kill the birds That are eating up my crop; And if your young ones do such things, Be sure they'll have to stop." "Oh," said the crow, "my children Are the best ones ever born; There isn't one among them all Would steal a grain of corn." "But how shall I know which ones they are? Do they resemble you?" "Oh no," said the crow, "they're the prettiest birds, And the whitest that ever flew!" So off went the sportsman, whistling, And off, too, went his gun; And its startling echoes never ceased Again till the day was done. And the old crow sat untroubled, Cawing away in her nook; For she said, "He'll never kill my birds, Since I told him how they look. "Now there's the hawk my neighbor, She'll see what she will see, soon; And that saucy whistling blackbird May have to change his tune!" When, lo! she saw the hunter Taking his homeward track, With a string of crows as long as his gun, Hanging down his back. "Alack, alack!" said the mother, "What in the world have you done? You promised to spare my pretty birds, And you've killed them every one." "Your birds!" said the puzzled hunter; "Why, I found them in my corn; And besides, they are black and ugly As any that ever were born!" "Get out of my sight, you stupid!" Said the angriest of crows; "How good and fair her children are, There's none but a parent knows!" "Ah! I see, I see," said the hunter, "But not as you do, quite; It takes a mother to be so blind She can't tell black from white!" | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE CALVES NOT CHOSEN by LINDA GREGG THE THREE CROWS by PHILIP LEVINE THE CROWS AT 3 A.M. by STANLEY PLUMLY THE GREAT BLACK CROW by PHILIP JAMES BAILEY A LEGEND OF THE NORTHLAND by PHOEBE CARY |
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