A Naughty Little Comet Poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

A Naughty Little Comet

Rating: 3.0


There was a little comet who lived near the Milky Way!
She loved to wander out at night and jump about and play.

The mother of the comet was a very good old star;
She used to scold her reckless child for venturing out too far.

She told her of the ogre, Sun, who loved on stars to sup,
And who asked no better pastime than in gobbling comets up.

But instead of growing cautious and of showing proper fear,
The foolish little comet edged up nearer, and more near.

She switched her saucy tail along right where the Sun could see,
And flirted with old Mars, and was as bold as bold could be.

She laughed to scorn the quiet stars who never frisked about;
She said there was no fun in life unless you ventured out.

She liked to make the planets stare, and wished no better mirth
Than just to see the telescopes aimed at her from the Earth.

She wondered how so many stars could mope through nights and days,
And let the sickly faced old Moon get all the love and praise.

And as she talked and tossed her head and switched her shining trail
The staid old mother star grew sad, her cheek grew wan and pale.

For she had lived there in the skies a million years or more,
And she had heard gay comets talk in just this way before.

And by and by there came an end to this gay comet's fun.
She went a tiny bit too far-and vanished in the Sun!

No more she swings her shining trail before the whole world's sight,
But quiet stars she laughed to scorn are twinkling every night.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Paul Amrod 20 December 2017

A very playful piece with innuendos of naivety. Nonetheless this comets was fresh and cocky and happy to be flirting about.

5 3 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 20 December 2017

TWO about A Naughty Little Comet, how adorable. I dare not to give she or her poem a TEN Vote, but she earns much much milliards more, non-comparable. A very gifted poetess.Thank you PoemHunter and Team that you had chosen her poem as The Classic Poem of The Day. CONGRATULATIONS from the depth of my heart, sincerely Sylvia Frances Chan, Dutch Poetess.

3 3 Reply
Deepak Kumar Pattanayak 20 December 2017

A nice meteor tale told brilliantly with a lesson like a comet to the earth was like that presumptuous and sad woman to the town........outstanding piece........thanks for sharing

3 2 Reply
Mary Skarpathiotaki 20 December 2017

.No more she swings her shining trail before the whole world's sight, But quiet stars she laughed to scorn are twinkling every night. A very gifted poet i vote 10+++++++

3 1 Reply
Anil Kumar Panda 20 December 2017

A very enjoyable poem really. Thanks for sharing.

3 1 Reply
Jananie Balaji 16 January 2022

The comet was a true shenanigan. I felt happy that she played. But yes, she went too far.

0 0 Reply
Chinedu Dike 18 November 2021

An interesting piece of poetry written with clarity of thought and mind. A beautiful work of art.

0 0 Reply
Geeta Radhakrishna Menon 17 November 2021

A wonderful poem of the planets that i so enjoyed reading. The sun, moon, stars, comets all active and playful....top stars

0 0 Reply
Bharati Nayak 17 November 2021

A lovely poem full of fun and a message.

0 0 Reply
Pooja Iyer 20 November 2020

Very nice poem. Would like to know the figures of speech in the poem

0 0 Reply
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Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Johnstown Center / Rock County / Wisconsin
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