Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE HEN, by MATTHIAS CLAUDIUS First Line: A famous hen's my story's theme Last Line: "and then -- review it." Alternate Author Name(s): Asmus Subject(s): Hens; Ingenuity | ||||||||
A FAMOUS hen's my story's theme, Which ne'er was known to tire Of laying eggs, but then she'd scream So loud o'er every egg, 't would seem The house must be on fire. A turkey-cock, who ruled the walk, A wiser bird and older, Could bear 't no more, so off did stalk Right to the hen, and told her: "Madam, that scream, I apprehend, Adds nothing to the matter; It surely helps the egg no whit; Then lay your egg, and done with it! I pray you, madam, as a friend, Cease that superfluous clatter! You know not how 't goes through my head." "Humph! very likely!" madam said, Then proudly putting forth a leg, -- "Uneducated barnyard fowl! You know, no more than any owl, The noble privilege and praise Of authorship in modern days -- I'll tell you why I do it: First, you perceive, I lay the egg, And then -- review it." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ODE TO A HUMAN HEART by SAMUEL LAMAN BLANCHARD THE LAWYER'S INVOCATION TO SPRING by HENRY HOWARD BROWNELL DISASTER by CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY MOTHERHOOD by CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY ON THE BRINK by CHARLES STUART CALVERLEY METRICAL FEET by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE NOCTURNAL SKETCH; BLANK VERSE IN RHYME by THOMAS HOOD BALLADE OF BLUE CHINA by ANDREW LANG THE V-A-S-E by JAMES JEFFREY ROCHE |
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