I Saw a Peacock, with a fiery tail,

[conuly]

I saw a Blazing Comet, drop down hail,
I saw a Cloud, with Ivy circled round,
I saw a sturdy Oak, creep on the ground,
I saw a Pismire, swallow up a Whale,
I saw a raging Sea, brim full of Ale,
I saw a Venice Glass, Sixteen foot deep,
I saw a well, full of mens tears that weep,
I saw their eyes, all in a flame of fire,
I saw a House, as big as the Moon and higher,
I saw the Sun, even in the midst of night,
I saw the man, that saw this wondrous sight.

I wouldn't say this is the first poem I ever loved, but it's the poem I've loved the longest. It's certainly one of the most delightful poems I've ever met, surpassed only by the picture book Mirror, Mirror and its sequels. (Those books are worth having in any library, and if you haven't discovered them yet I don't know what you think you're waiting for.)

*****

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Comments

[greghousesgf]

I remember that poem! it's great!

[conuly]

Isn't it! Upon googling I found out that Margaret Atwood is a fan too, which is good enough for me.

[chanter1944]

My first thought on reading your subject line had absolutely everything to do with Miraculous Ladybug. If I quote it back, it won't make sense unless you're familiar with that canon. Should I go there? :)

[conuly]

I'm not, but what I do know is that there is a comm for that particular canon - it opened up during Tumblrgate and at least one of my friends is part of it.

[conuly]

*glances at profile*

Ah, you already knew that! Let's pretend this never happened so I don't feel silly!

[chanter1944]

*grins* Zero worries. :) I credit alexseanchai for pointing me toward that comm in the first place.

I might just use the response I thought of as the post's subject line when a particular ML fic I'm working on goes live... You're getting the credit for it when and if I do.

[marahmarie]

Thanks for sharing that poem. Never saw it before. It just became another I'd want to read again and again.

Now I'm curious as to what the first poem I ever loved was, but can probably find out soon enough as the book it's in, which I've had since I was little, is sitting upstairs. I don't think I can recall offhand which was my favorite without looking through it, first.

[marahmarie]

Oh wait a sec, trick poetry! (Just did a search: ‘I Saw A Peacock With A Fiery Tail’*.) That's a great example, right there.

*They forgot to mention you can't just drop the first clause, you have to add it back in before the last line (all they say is: "Drop the first clause, attach each subsequent one to the next, and what do you get?". Well, not a complete poem without that last bit, there...).

And no, haven't watched the video, but am tempted to, now.

[smokingboot]

I always liked it, but it was never my favourite. The one I have loved the longest is possibly 'The Man Who Dreamed of Fairyland' by W.B. Yeats.

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

I never saw that poem before; thanks!