The Song of the Mischievous Dog
The Song of the Mischievous Dog - meaning Summary
Canine Appetite and Mischief
A playful first-person poem in which a dog speaker comments on human errors and fanciful beliefs about animals before revealing its own simple pleasures. The narrator moves from listing absurd claims to admitting ordinary canine appetites—bones, chasing, and risky biscuits—then culminates in a frank relish for biting a plump calf. The poem frames animal behavior with comic understatement, mixing whimsy and a sly acceptance of appetite and mischief.
Read Complete AnalysesThere are many who say that a dog has its day, And a cat has a number of lives; There are others who think that a lobster is pink, And that bees never work in their hives. There are fewer, of course, who insist that a horse Has a horn and two humps on its head, And a fellow who jests that a mare can build nests Is as rare as a donkey that’s red. Yet in spite of all this, I have moments of bliss, For I cherish a passion for bones, And though doubtful of biscuit, I’m willing to risk it, And love to chase rabbits and stones. But my greatest delight is to take a good bite At a calf that is plump and delicious; And if I indulge in a bite at a bulge, Let’s hope you won’t think me too vicious.
Dylan Thomas wrote this when he was 11. This was his first published poem.
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