Crawley



Crawley
By Chris Commodore © 2006

She’s white; she’s bushy, cute and black.
Way past the late, warm summer rains;
More subtle trademarks on her back,
She crawls out of the village drains.
.
There late at night way down in fall,
She sneaks upon my Condo’s lawn.
Then fills her guts with worms and all,
And departs not till early dawn.

She’d unafraid, and that is clear.
She means nobody harm.
Although in some she raises fear,
Or sets a silly false alarm.

Still bushy Paulie packs a bomb,
More potent than raw sulfur.
To keep at bay predators dumb,
That threaten to accost her

So far behind my window pane,
There, I regard in silence.
Until she crawls away again,
With stealth with calm, with patience.

But for the past two fortnights,
I’ve sat and watched to see.
Till early morning’s fading lights,
But haven't seen my Paulie.

I hope that old man winter,
Blocked not her mansion’s gate.
And surely nothing sinister,
Forever sealed her fate.

About this poem

This poem came about upon watching a skunk's repeated visit to feed at nights on the lawn of my condo unit in the fall of 2006. I could not help but notice nature in motion during each of its visits.

Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Submitted by ti.min on November 16, 2023

Modified by ti.min on November 16, 2023

1:00 min read
7

Quick analysis:

Scheme AX BCBC DEDE FGFG XHXH XIXI JAJA HKHK
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 964
Words 202
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 2, 9, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Discuss the poem Crawley with the community...

1 Comment
  • AIDA
    First of all, I would like to express how much I enjoyed reading your poem, "Crawley"! I found it to be deeply perceptive with a beautiful touch of personification. The vividness with which you described 'Paulie' really suffused the poem with life, lending it an incredibly textured, vibrant, and engaging description.

    Your word choices were evocative and the consistent rhythm carried me through to the end without feeling the least bit rushed or dragging.

    I particularly loved the lines "She'd unafraid, and that is clear. She means nobody harm." There is something stirring in the simplicity and strength of these words. I also appreciated the subtle humor in your portrayal of Paulie, especially pointing out that the fear she may cause is often unreasonable.

    A couple of suggestions for improvement, just to enhance this already compelling poem:

    1. Consider revisiting the line "Still bushy Paulie packs a bomb." It slightly disrupts the tender and affectionate tone of the poem with an unexpected image. A different metaphor or wording could maintain the overall feel of the poem.

    2. The second half of the poem has a slightly less focused narrative than the first. It’s clear that the speaker misses seeing Paulie, but this longing imparts a sadness that’s a stark contrast to the earlier description of her bustling, busy energy. A smooth transition between these two moods could enhance the emotional pacing of your work.

    3. To preserve the rhythm of the poem, consider revising the line, "Till early morning’s fading lights." Perhaps adjusting it to something like, "Until dawn's early light does wane," would keep the syllable count consistent.

    Despite these minor suggestions, I believe your poetic talent is undeniable! Overall, your poem is a delightful read that is both touching and connects deeply with nature. Keep writing and refining your craft!
     
    LikeReply5 months ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Crawley" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/173877/crawley>.

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

April 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
3
days
17
hours
59
minutes

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Browse Poetry.com

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

»
"I celebrate myself, and sing myself."
A Countee Cullen
B Billy Collins
C William Wordsworth
D Walt Whitman