Sunday, April 20, 2008

The Woodpecker... a complete poem...

Mom read the one stanza of The Woodpecker that I had posted,
and talked to Aunt Patty, who then found it for me -- on google, I think.
So, here it is... it makes me smile because I can remember Gram reciting it...


The Woodpecker

The woodpecker pecked out a little round hole

And made him a house in the telephone pole.

One day as I watched he poked out this head

He had on a hood and a collar of red.

When the streams of rain pour out of the sky,

And the flashes of lightening go streaking by

And the big, big wheels of thunder roll

He can snuggle back in his telephone pole.

-- by Elizabeth Madox Roberts

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Sue,my name is Ryan Holt I am participating in an art show in Lincoln, Nebraska where we are painting skateboards the idea for one of my skateboards was to paint a woodpecker on the board as if the bird was pecking into the skateboard. I wanted to know if I can put your poem on the skateboad along with my painting?
Please let me know.
Thanks
Ryan

Sue said...

Hi Ryan!

Sure, I'd be glad for you to use that poem. It's a poem that my Gram used to recite to me, I didn't write it. After I received your comment, I did a little more research on google, and I found that the Author was Elizabeth Madox Roberts, and she wrote it in 1922, so I'm pretty sure she wouldn't mind you using it either. It would be good if you could put her name in small letters after the poem, though, to give her credit as author. I should have done that too on my post, so I'll go back and edit my post.

Good luck in the art show!

SUE

Grandma Pat said...

Hello Sue,

About 73 years ago my darling older brother came home from first grade and recited the Woodpecker. He was a hit (auburn hair and freckles)! Now I am sending a copy to my grandson in Nuremberg with two Audubon woodpeckers; continuing the cycle of well-loved old poems. Thank you for your posting.

Grandma Pat

Anonymous said...

When I was in first grade our teacher used to quote this poem. Today I was trying to remember it for a friend of mine and found it on Google.Thanks for posting it.I attended school in the 40's so I knew it was old.
Betty

Sue said...

Grandma Pat and Betty - I'm glad you enjoyed it! My Gram reciting poetry is one of my favorite memories!

Jerry Vandergriff said...

I was just reciting the poem today and decided to google it. I didn't remember all of the words. I, too, learned it in first grade in 1948. My wife had never heard it. What beautiful memories it brings back. I lived on a farm in Missouri. We had no running water or electricity. Reading and memorizing were a passion to me. Thank you for posting the words!

Jerry

Sue said...

Jerry - Every time I get a comment like yours, it brings a smile to my face, and it reminds me to read the poem and think of my Gram :)
Have a great day!

Anonymous said...

My Dad used to read this poem to me when I was a small girl. It is one of the few sweet memories have of my Dad as he was normally in an angry mood.He said it with a bit of a jazzy beat to it and would tickle me when he said the last verse.It was in a childrens encyclopedia set we had with a beautiful drawing of a woodpecker.

Anonymous said...

My mom used to recite this poem to me. Now I’m sharing it with my granddaughter.