Perilous journey

By Rhiannonw

Mon, 15 Dec 2025
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6 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