Setting Things To Right About Henny Penny Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

Henny penny was right
I thought as a child
That hardworking chicken.
Now I think so even more
She sowed the grain herself
She harvested it
She baked the bread
And she ate it
And all her friendly woodland creature neighbors
Who wouldn't even bring a pot of honey to the feast
They invited themselves to and wrote their own invitations for
Deserved to have the chicken coop door slammed on them. the chicken coop
Which she had singlehandedly fashioned into an elegant parlour
For herself with braided rugs, a little organ and ruffled curtains at the windows.
Pour yourself a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade Henny Penny
And turn on the electric fan too
Let the moochy neighbors depart
who wouldn't lift a paw or a dusty yellow beak to help you
in the last blizzard.
mary angela douglas 8 june 2024

NOTE ON THE POEM

This poem was so fun to write. I never liked Foxy Loxy, Goosey Gander and the rest. I thought henny penny deserved better friends, lol. And I always love to embroider new details on old folk tales. Really in the actual story I dont think she slammed the door. I think she bolted it, lol. Thank you, Helen Losse.🙂I seem to remember an illustration from the first or second grade readrer that shows henny penny with an apron tied around her SWEEPING THE FLOOR in a neat as a pin buttercup yellow kitchen with copper saucepans. I had fun imagining her parlour in my version of the story. Heck. If she could bake bread, and sweep the floor I saw no problem with her playing the organ. Now I am really curious how the artist could depict a chicken wielding that broom with wings.