The Meadow MouseThe Meadow Mouse by Theodore Roethkeby Theodore Roethke

In a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stockingIn a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stockingSleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,Where he trembled and shook beneath a stick Where he trembled and shook beneath a stick Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,Cradled in my hand,Cradled in my hand, 55

A little Quaker, the whole body of him trembling,A little Quaker, the whole body of him trembling,His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-mouse,His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-mouse,His feet like small leaves,His feet like small leaves,Little lizard-feet,Little lizard-feet,Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle away, Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle away, 1010

Wriggling like a minuscule puppy. Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.

Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and drunk from Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough-his bottle-cap watering-trough-So much he just lies in one corner,So much he just lies in one corner,His tail curled under him, his belly bigHis tail curled under him, his belly bigAs his head; his bat-like ears As his head; his bat-like ears 1515

Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.

Meadow Mouse page2Meadow Mouse page2

Do I imagine he no longer tremblesDo I imagine he no longer trembles

When I come close to him?When I come close to him?

He seems no longer to tremble.He seems no longer to tremble.

But this morning the shoe-box house on the back porch is But this morning the shoe-box house on the back porch is empty. empty. 2020

Where has he gone, my meadow mouse,Where has he gone, my meadow mouse,

My thumb of a child that nuzzled in my palm?-My thumb of a child that nuzzled in my palm?-

To run under the hawk’s wing,To run under the hawk’s wing,

Under the eye of the great owl watching from the elm-tree,Under the eye of the great owl watching from the elm-tree,To live by courtesy of the shrike, the snake, the tom-cat. To live by courtesy of the shrike, the snake, the tom-cat.

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I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass,I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass,

The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway,The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway,

The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water rising,-The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water rising,-

All things innocent, hapless, forsaken.All things innocent, hapless, forsaken.

Exercise for Meadow MouseExercise for Meadow Mouse

1. Read “Meadow Mouse”1. Read “Meadow Mouse”

2. Write a summary of the poem. In your summary explain what 2. Write a summary of the poem. In your summary explain what the the author is saying in the last stanza.author is saying in the last stanza.

3. How many stanzas are in “Meadow Mouse”?3. How many stanzas are in “Meadow Mouse”?

4. What is the mood/tone of the poem?4. What is the mood/tone of the poem?

5. From “Meadow Mouse” write:5. From “Meadow Mouse” write: A. 3 SimilesA. 3 Similes B. 2 MetaphorsB. 2 Metaphors C. 7 AlliterationsC. 7 Alliterations D. 2 Imagery Examples D. 2 Imagery Examples

6.Identify the theme of “Meadow Mouse”.6.Identify the theme of “Meadow Mouse”.