Poems
Toad’s Song
from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame
The Lion
by Jack Prelutsky
“The world has held great Heroes, As history-books have showed;
But never a name to go down to fame Compared with that of Toad!
“The clever men at Oxford[^1]
Know all that there is to be knowed.
But they none of them know one half as much As intelligent Mr. Toad!
“The animals sat in the Ark and cried, Their tears in torrents flowed.
Who was it said, ‘There’s land ahead?’ Encouraging Mr. Toad!
“The army all saluted
As they marched along the road. Was it the King? Or Kitchener?[^2]
No. It was Mr. Toad!
“The Queen and her Ladies-in-waiting Sat at the window and sewed.
She cried, ‘Look! who’s that handsome man?’ They answered, ‘Mr. Toad.’
”
Don’t Worry if Your Job Is Small
author unknown
Don’t worry if your job is small, And your rewards are few.
Remember that the mighty oak, Was once a nut like you.
The lion has a golden mane and under it a clever brain. He lies around
and idly roars and lets the lioness do the chores.
The Troll
His blood is black and boiling hot, he gurgles ghastly groans.
He’ll cook you in his dinner pot, your skin, your flesh, your bones.
So watch your steps when next you go upon a pleasant stroll, or you
might end in the pit below as supper for the troll.
He’ll catch your arms and clutch your legs and grind you to a pulp, then
swallow you like scrambled eggs— gobble! gobble! gulp!
Be wary of the loathsome troll that slyly lies in wait to drag you to
his dingy hole and put you on his plate.
by Jack Prelutsky
by Emily Dickinson
A bird came down the walk:
He did not know I saw;
He bit an angle-worm in halves And ate the fellow, raw.
A Bug Sat in a Silver Flower
by Karla Kuskin
A bug sat in a silver flower Thinking silver thoughts. A bigger bug out
for a walk Climbed up that silver flower stalk And snapped the small bug
down his jaws Without a pause Without a care For all the bug’s small
silver thoughts. It isn’t right It isn’t fair That big bug ate that
little bug Because that little bug was there. He also ate his underwear.
