And put a sack within the hole, and lie WHEN midnight comes a host of dogs and men Go out and track the badger to his den And put a sack within the hole and lie. 10 of the Best Poems about Animals | Interesting Literature. He fights with dogs for bones and beats them all. And put a sack within the hole, and lie The poem is written in three stanzas the first two consist of fourteen lines and the last stanza of twelve. The badger grins and never leaves his hold. In fact this is continued throughout the stanza with the fox being described as the “old fox” likewise the goose. He fights with dogs for bones and beats them all. The badger baiters behaviour is described in a way that makes it appear like they are euphoric as a result of their actions. Using the present-tense also aids in this endeavour. The description of the badger is interesting as it is described as “old grunting” this almost personifies the badger and helps the reader to identify with it, thus creating sympathy. He runs along and bites at all he meets: Roots in the bushes and the woods, and makes They urge him on like dogs and show fair play. The frequent stone is hurled where’er they go; And clap the dogs and take him to the town, With shaggy hide and sharp nose scrowed with black This… I love this poem, and used to read it to my kids when they were young. And beats the many dogs in noises loud. And bites them through—the drunkard swears and reels. The dogs are clapt and urged to join the fray; A savage poem that I am sure tells it how it was. The poacher shoots and hurries from the cry, As the baiters put a sack in the badgers hole in order to capture him. They shout and hollo down the noisy streets. ‘The Badger’, by the criminally underrated English Romantic poet John Clare (1793-1864), is perhaps the greatest of this small and select group. Though scarcely half as big, demure and small, When badgers fight, then every one’s a foe. Thank you! The bulldog knows his match and waxes cold, Personifying it to some extent by giving it human characteristics. A great high burrow in the ferns and brakes. John Clare is a British poet who died in 1864 at the age of 70. Lapt up as if asleep, he scorns to fly Followed and hooted by the dogs and men. A cruel blood sport where a badger is pulled from its home and repeatedly attacked by large dogs this is a practice that, whilst illegal is still occasionally practiced today. The Badger poem by John Clare. When midnight comes a host of dogs and men The poem uses it’s strict form and repetition of the word “and” at the start of sentences to help portray a frenetic pace which mirrors the frantic happenings in the poem. It’s the savage truth , almost unbearable to read. He turns about to face the loud uproar This stanza details the Badger’s eventual demise. In this first stanza the narrator talks about the process of capturing the badger in the first place. And this from a rural poet who began by etching charcoal into tree bark. He tries to reach the woods, and awkward race, This is done to make a contrast between the noble bravery of the outnumbered badger and his heinous foes. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Shame on you for making every person who's read your comment in the last two odd years slightly dumber for reading it. Till the old grunting badger passes bye. Some keep a baited badger tame as hog Badger Lyrics. The blackguard laughs and hurries on the fray. Later in the stanza the mastiff is described as savage. It is a great portrayal of a tragically courageous struggle against an overwhelming evil opposition. The old fox hears the noise and drops the goose. In this classic poem, The Badger, Clare shows his mastery of metre and rhyme to make a compelling piece. Till kicked and torn and beaten out he lies And bites them through – the drunkard swears and reels. Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. Clapt like a dog, he never bites the men They are accused of “laughing and shouting” and the given image is one of merriment on the part of the baiters which gives them a mob-like quality. In the following lines we can see the badger tries to escape but the humans use weapons to try and prevent this, which then prompts the badger to once again go after the humans. The poem is ostensibly about animal cruelty, a topic covered often by Clare. ‘The Badger’ is written in rhyming couplets, also known as ‘heroic couplets’ – and although Clare describes the way the badger is hunted and caught, he imbues the creature with a quiet heroism and nobility. Pingback: 10 of the Best Poems about Animals | Interesting Literature. The badger grunting on his woodland track Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. And there he fights the host of all the town. Nowadays, he helps Will manage the team and the website. We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. LJ, has been a Poem Analysis team member ever since Novemer 2015, providing critical analysis of poems from the past and present. He licks the patting hand, and tries to play So I would think nothing could be further from the truth. The frighted women take the boys away, And bait him all the day with many dogs, And leaves his hold and cackles, groans, and dies. The stanza begins by showing the reader the badger going after the baiters themselves. The poem is full of snarling energy and a sense that Clare knows what persecution feels like. The old fox hears the noise and drops the goose. They let him out and turn a harrow down In specific this one is about badger baiting. The animal is portrayed as a fearless warrior. The heavy mastiff, savage in the fray, If you enjoyed John Clare’s poem, you might enjoy his poem ‘The Yellowhammer’s Nest’. Despite the fact that badgers can become very aggressive when attacked, hence why they have been used in blood sports, the badger is depicted as brave, taking on all-comers. The badger grins and never leaves his hold. For a good edition of John Clare’s poetry, we recommend John Clare: Major Works from Oxford University Press.

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