Happy Poetry Friday, today hosted by Buffy Silverman Here. I know Buffy loves wildlife, so maybe she and others will enjoy seeing a snapshot of the fox that often wanders through our yard. Today, he posed with his dinner, as if unsure what to do, then shortly after the photo was taken, grabbed his fresh catch and ran off. I love the shape and color of this lovely creature, but always stay away when he appears.
CAGEY RED FOX
passing through
it seems you can tell
I am spying on you.
Hunting for dinner
is what foxes do,
And that unlucky squirrel
looked scrumptious to you.
©Janice Scully 2021
I love middle grade humor and one of the funniest books I know is Roald Dahl’s THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX. I’ve written about humor previously, a topic close to my heart. I’m sure many of the teachers post on Poetry Friday or stop by, and their students are fans of Roald Dahl. I think that perhaps the author might have seen a creature like the one above with a similar face and whimsical tail, and was inspired to write this story.
The main character, Mr. Fox, is endlessly clever and determined to steal food. The antagonists, three greedy farmers, are equally as clever as well as mean, and are determined to keep him away from their farms. The conflict makes for a great deal of humor.
I hope everyone is enjoying summer, are well and getting some fresh air.