Perilous journey

By Rhiannonw

Mon, 15 Dec 2025
  • 145 reads
14 comments
 

Why did the earthworm want to  go
across the road?
over that grey desert squirm
and slither so fast,
so slow
– did it ever reach the far side,
that distant land,
and was the grass there greener?
or did it get caught under
the sudden wonder
of rolling thunder
that haphazardly, occasionally
sweeps through that no-worm's-land
between its past and future comfort?

Certificate U
Poem
Nature
Humour
Nature

Comments

Submitted by insertponceyfre... on

That's a very interesting question Rhiannon. I wonder if anyone's studied worm behaviour and has an answer?

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Maybe Di's suggestion below is the answer. Though I would have thought a lot more would be seen doing it if it was so?!! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

Maybe worms wonder why on Earth some people want to go to Mars! I try to pick worms up in a leaf so as not to burn them) and put them to the side :0) I think I read somewhere that they go because where they are from is waterlogged?

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thanks for the suggestions. But it seems a puzzle that it is not a whole lot of earthworms attemptig such an escape if so? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Rhiannon,

worms don't seem to have any idea of where they're going in my opinion, they are  just a mystery.

I'm not sure that they actually see or have thoughts as I don't think they have brains or eyes, but just slither their whole life. 

Your poem got me thinking though. I thought they were just good for the compost and moving the earth, also food for the birds. Perhaps I'm wrong, but thanks for giving me food for thought.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, Jenny, of course, I agree worms don't have powers of thinking or planning! This was written as humour, because it does seem so odd to see them crossing a wide road. (Chickens have more power of thought, but the saying 'Why did the chicken cross the road?' with its answer 'To get to the other side' is because even they do not have high planning abitilities!) 

I think probably earthworms slither on to the road when the surface is wet, not realising how far it will be before there will be earth to burrow into once more! As Di said, it may be that their burrows are water-logged one side, though I think they can survive in water.

And also, yes, they are so benefircial to us and the whole of nature by their earth aerating burrowing, and munching up the fallen leaves etc into soil, and food for birds too! 

Thank you for your thoughtrul comment. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

Rhiannon I remember at a time it was fashion to keep your own earthworm farm, it may be a decade or so ago.

It began with people keeping worms for fishing, I remember they said your best worms, thick stiff red and juicy you got with fine sand and mealie meal. You could sell them too, kids could make some pocket money.

The one guy was catching rainwater for them from the gutters can't remember what the idea of that was.

Of course, silk worms in shoe boxes will never go out of fashion!

Keep Well! Tom

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I'd never heard of keeping silkworms in shoeboxes! I've just looked it up. Did you ever do that? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Tom Brown on

When I was in primary school we all did. They feed on leaves you put in the box - either lettuce or mulberry leaves but you have to stick to one. At first they are tiny but they grow quickly munching the leaf edges ravenously and we buy sell or swap worms with our little buddies.

They get really big and fat and soft and then spin themselves in a corner in of the box into a cocoon, when the cocoon breaks open there is a moth inside, the moth lies little eggs, the eggs breed out as tiny little black worms. This same process occurs in many insects it is called a complete metamorphosis.

The worms came from China originally, hence the "silk".

I am suprised you didn't do that too! The kids learn something on nature, biology as well! And of doing business! You can use the spinning in a little craft as well like a small silken heart and different colours.

See you! Tom

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

How intersting. Thanks for sharing that. I suspect it's much less common in Britain. Probably to do with our climate. Keeping caterpillars to see the transformation into a butterfly is very common in primary schools. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Nolan on

Cheer Up! &

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

?? Thank you, but I think I am cheerful, Nolan! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Nolan on

Tom has been a bit down in the dumps since his girl is gone. Wont sleep or eat all that stuff his teddybear is on hunger strike too wont say a word just a silent still tantrum. We'll have to take them to a psychologists. Where do you get a doctor when you need one?

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, so it was a message to Tom. I see. He sounded cheerful in his comments.

Sorry don't know anything much about your doctor situation down where you are. Hope he manages to put the problems in perspective and find joy in the Lord. Rhiannon