Nothing You Ever Wanted to Know, About - Porcupines

[Hawkman]

A Porcupine’s a rodent,
so it’s really just a rat
with fishing floats for fur
though it’s got ears like aunt Pat’s,
It squats in ant-bear burrows
so it doesn’t pay the rent
but I’ve never, ever, found one
that would love to own a tent.

It’s usually nocturnal
though it sunbathes by its hole
and foraging alone, it’s said,
is generally its goal.
There are some, I believe,
that like to make their homes in trees;
I can’t think why they’d want to though,
it really baffles me.

Hedgehogs are not rodents
but they are a kind of shrew;
Echidnas are all monotremes
and from laid eggs they grew,
but all of them are mammals
so they all once suckled milk—
but none of them are camels
and they don’t look good in silk.

[cafolini]

Apart from the genuine description, in the last two lines becomes a caprice. Lovable. When I read the last line, it occurred to me that it could have an enhancement adding a new line at the end: they don't look good in silk. The repetition added a bit of value to me alone, I suppose. Have fun.

[Hawkman]

Greetings, comrade cafolini! I recently had a discussion about this poem with a friend and I quote from this in order to respond to your observations...


Well yes, the rhyme was important, but in my defence, everything in the poem is true, except perhaps for the mention of “...ears like Aunt Pat’s,” because, I’m afraid, I do not, and never have, had an Aunt Pat. Somebody must have though, and it is entirely possible that a porcupine has ears like hers! The thing which struck me about a porcupine, when I first saw one, was that it had ears shaped like a human’s. The second thing about it was the fact that it really looked quite scruffy.

But just imagine, what would a porcupine do to , say, a sari? Undoubtedly it would ruin it! All those spikes would shred it in no time, and all the hard work of the silkworms would be squandered and unravelled, only to be left trailing behind the animal like the tentacles of a Portugese Man o’ War! Personally, I’m convinced that this is the kind of universal truth which all great poets should aspire to – lol! It is equally true that porcupines aren’t camels. ;)

As for your suggestion regarding the repetition of the last line, had the poem not been so rhythmically structured, it would, indeed, have been a nice touch. Were it written in free verse, the echo would read wistfully, and still be funny! Alas though, as it is, it wouldn't work.

Nevertheless, thanks for reading and taking the trouble to let me know you had.

Live and be well - H

[AuntShecky]

Amusing and whimsical. By choosing a zoological topic you're in distinguished company. Marianne Moore wrote several poems about animals (most, if not all, she studied by visiting the Bronx Zoo.) She had a great capacity for wit, which you also exhibit in your verses, such as this one.

Speaking of porcupine, they're indigenous to the neck o' the woods in which I live; North America, however, does not have hedgehogs, nor echidnas, which are native to Delta40's part of the world.

One popular misconception about porcupines -- perpetuated by animated cartoons -- is that they "shoot" their quills like javelins. That's not true at all, but if someone were careless enough to try to touch one of these critters, the quill will come off in his hands, possibly piercing his fingers in the process. ( Not that yours fooly has ever attempted this.)

[Hawkman]

Hello Auntie.

No. Porcupines can't launch their quills, but they do attack backwards. This has the two-fold effect of confusing its enemies, who think it's running away from them; at least, they do until the quills lance their flesh and pierce their eyes, where they will, as you correctly observe, separate from the porcupine and remain embedded in their target. The porcupine gnaws bones for all the vitamins and minerals it needs to grow new ones. However, it's definitely a scruffy-looking animal, but what would course fishermen do without them? lol :)

Live and be well - H

[Hawkman]

Bump! :D

[tailor STATELY]

Lol... love them porcupines... Give your poem four out of five red balloons :)

Ta ! (short for tarradiddle),
tailor