The Gnu

Hilaire Belloc 1870 (La Celle-Saint-Cloud) – 1953



G stands for Gnu, whose weapon of defence
Are long, sharp, curling horns, and common sense.
To these he adds a name so short and strong,
That even hardy Boers pronounce it wrong.
How often on a bright autumnal day
The pious people of Pretoria say,
'Come, let us hunt the______' Then no more is heard
but sounds of strong men struggling with a word;
Meanwhile the distant Gnu with grateful eyes
Oberserves his opportunity and flies.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 13, 2023

23 sec read
399

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABBCCDDEE
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 430
Words 79
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 10

Hilaire Belloc

Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc was an Anglo-French writer and historian who became a naturalised British subject in 1902, but kept his French citizenship. more…

All Hilaire Belloc poems | Hilaire Belloc Books

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