Ticklish Tom
Ticklish Tom - meaning Summary
Escalation of Uncontrollable Laughter
A playful, cumulative tale about Ticklish Tom, who is repeatedly tickled by his mother, friends, strangers, and even the environment. His uncontrollable laughter propels him physically farther and farther—out of school, out of town, across landscapes—until he finally meets a grim endpoint on the railroad tracks. The poem uses nursery-rhyme rhythm and escalation to turn a comic premise into a surprising, darkly comic conclusion.
Read Complete AnalysesDid you hear 'bout Ticklish Tom? He got tickled by his mom. Wiggled and giggled and fell on the floor, Laughed and rolled right out the door. All the way to school and then He got tickled by his friends. Laughed till he fell off his stool, Laughed and rolled right out of school Down the stairs and finally stopped Till he got tickled by a cop. And all the more that he kept gigglin', All the more folks kept ticklin'. He shrieked and screamed and rolled around, Laughed his way right out of town. Through the country down the road, He got tickled by a toad. Past the mountains across the plain, Tickled by the falling rain, Tickled by the soft brown grass, Tickled by the clouds that passed. Giggling, rolling on his back He rolled on the railroad track. Rumble, rumble, whistle, roar-- Tom ain't ticklish any more.
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