The Centipede

The Centipede - meaning Summary

Annoyance Personified in Verse

Ogden Nash’s short comic poem voices a speaker’s peeved dismissal of a centipede as an unnecessary household pest. It sketches the insect’s unwelcome, sleepy‑time appearances and its knack for evading or provoking attempts to hit it, capturing the petty frustration and absurdity of confronting a small, slippery nuisance. The tone is brisk and witty, turning a minor domestic irritation into a vivid, amusing complaint.