I CAUGHT a herring long ago. And kept him in some H(2)O; I strained his water every day, Till all the salt was strained away, And so I taught the little chap To live in water from the tap. Robbed of his customary brine He had to face a fresh design. Each afternoon I took about A thimbleful of water out, Till -- though his needs were always small -- He got along with none at all. Gentle of heart and soft of roe, He followed where I chose to go. One day he took a walk with me Upon the pier at Brightlingsea; Alack! he made a reckless bound, Slipped through a grating and was drowned. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LAUGHTER (YOUTH SPEAKS TO HIS OWN OLD AGE) by CONRAD AIKEN PLEDGE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON QUESTION by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON TO OUR MOCKING-BIRD; DIED OF A CAT, MAY, 1878 by SIDNEY LANIER CHARLOTTE CORDAY (REVOLUTIONARY TRIBUNAL, JULY 17, 1793) by EDGAR LEE MASTERS NICHARCHUS UPON PHIDON HIS DOCTOR by EZRA POUND |