For a Five-Year-Old by Fleur Adcock
For a Five-Year-Old
Fleur AdcockA snail is climbing up the window-sill
into your room, after a night of rain.
You call me in to see, and I explain
that it would be unkind to leave it there:
it might crawl to the floor; we must take care
that no one squashes it. You understand,
and carry it outside, with careful hand,
to eat a daffodil.I see, then, that a kind of faith prevails:
your gentleness is moulded still by words
from me, who have trapped mice and shot wild birds,
from me, who drowned your kittens, who betrayed
your closest relatives, and who purveyed
the harshest kind of truth to many another.
But that is how things are: I am your mother,
and we are kind to snails.
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SHARED WITH GRATITUDE
This poem appeared in Poems 1960-2000 by Fleur Adcock, published by Bloodaxe Books, 2000. (Available on: Amazon • Bookshop)
DESCRIPTION
“Winner of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, 2006
Poetry Book Society Special Commendation” (Source)
ABOUT FLEUR ADCOCK
Fleur Adcock was born in Auckland, New Zealand, and spent part of her childhood in England. Adcock is the author of over ten collections of poetry, including Eye of the Hurricane (1964), The Inner Harbour (1979), The Incident Book (1986), Poems 1960-2000 (2000), Dragon Talk (2010), and Glass Wings (2013). A noted translator, she has translated Medieval poetry, including Hugh Primas, and the work of Romanian writers such as Grete Tartler and Daniela Crasnaru. She was editor… (more)
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ENDNOTES
- Explore other works in pursuit of: compassion • guidance • innocence • Or browse the index
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