Ten Tiny Poems

Summer is the season of insects! Enjoy these short poetic pieces and marvel at the magnificence of mighty small creatures.

Ladybug

A small speckled visitor wearing a crimson cape,

Brighter than a cherry, smaller than a grape

A polka-dotted someone walking on my wall

A black hooded lady in a scarlet shawl.

by Joan Walsh Anglund

Fireflies    

I like to chase the fireflies, 

Chase them to and fro’

I like to watch them dart about,

Their little lamps aglow.

In the evening's twilight dim

I follow them about,

I often think I have one caught,

And then his light goes out.

I cannot tell just where he is

Until he winks, you see,

Then far away I see his light,

He’s played a joke on me!

by Grace Wilson Coplen

Excerpt from Bees

You voluble,

Velvety

Vehement fellows

That play on your

Flying and

Musical cellos,

All goldenly

Girdled you

Serenade clover,

Each artist in

Bass but a

Bibulous rover! 

by Norman Rowland Gale

Caterpillar

Brown and furry

Caterpillar in a hurry,

Take your walk

To the shady leaf, or stalk,

Or what not,

Which may be the chosen spot.

No toad spy you,

Hovering bird of prey pass by you;

Spin and die,

To live again a butterfly.

by Christina Rossetti

Butterfly

Butterfly, butterfly, what lovely wings!

Flutter by, flutter by, and my heart sings.

Butterfly, butterfly, I want to know

When it rains, rains, where do you go?

by Sanford Jones

 from Forgiven

 I found a little beetle; so that Beetle was his name,

And I called him Alexander and he answered just the same.

I put him in a match-box, and I kept him all the day ...

And Nanny let my beetle out -

Yes, Nanny let my beetle out -

She went and let my beetle out -   

And Beetle ran away.

by A.A. Milne

I Love Bugs

I love teeny tiny ants and itchy bitsy fleas,

spiders, big and little, and grouchy grumble bees,

butterflies that flutter by and beetles when they run

from marching caterpillars.

I think bugs are fun.

Skeeters like to bite me, but lightning bugs, they don’t,

and flies that get inside the house could bite, but they won’t.

Silly racing centipedes and slow and slimy slugs are my very special favorites.

I love bugs.

by C. J. Heck

Fleas

Adam

had’em.

By Ogden Nash

(thought to be the shortest poem in the world!) 

Oh, Fly      

Oh, fly, 

 you flew onto my leaf

and not my food.

What a relief!

For on my food

you'd bring me grief

as you're a vector of disease.

But you on leaf?

My mind's at ease.

And there is much to please my eye.

For oh, you are a lovely fly.

Just do not go and multiply.

by Jane Yolen

Hurt No Living Thing

Hurt no living thing:

Ladybird, nor butterfly,

Nor moth with dusty wing,

Nor cricket chirping cheerily,

Nor grasshopper so light of leap,

Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat,

Nor harmless worms that creep.

by Christina Rossetti