Snail Poems

Table of Contents

1. The Snail's Pace

   by Amos Russel Wells

   
   

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   Said the Snake to the Snail: "How absurdly you crawl!
   I scarcely can see you are moving at all."
   Said the Hen to the Snake. "With no leg and no wing.
   No wonder you travel so slowly, poor thing!"
   Said the Fox to the Hen, "You have wings, that is true;
   But what are your wings when I get after you?"
   Said the Wren to the Fox: "Don't you think you are spry!
   But what are your legs to a bird that can fly?"
   Said the Hawk to the Wren, "In my masterful flight
   Your fluttering pace is a leisurely sight!"
   Said the Snail to them all: "This big world is my steed,
   And I travel upon it as fast as I need—
   Yes, dally upon it, in spite of your smiles,
   No less than three-fourths of a million miles.
   You think you excel in your hurrying race:
   Can any one beat me in traversing space?"
   

2. The Snail

   by William Cowper

   
   

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   To grass, or leaf, or fruit, or wall,
   The snail sticks close, nor fears to fall,
   As if he grew there, house and all
   Together.
   

   Within that house secure he hides,
   When danger imminent betides,
   Of storm, or other harm besides
   Of weather.
   

   Give but his horns the slightest touch,
   His self-collecting power is such,
   He shrinks into his house with much
   Displeasure.
   

   Where'er he dwells, he dwells alone,
   Except himself, has chattels none,
   Well satisfied to be his own
   Whole treasure.
   

   Thus, hermit-like, his life he leads,
   Nor partner of his banquet needs,
   And if he meets one, only feeds
   The faster.
   

   Who seeks him must be worse than blind
   (He and his house are so combined),
   If, finding it, he fails to find
   Its master.
   

3. Upon A Snail

   by John Bunyan

   
   

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   She goes but softly, but she goeth sure,
   She stumbles not, as stronger creatures do.
   Her journey's shorter, so she may endure
   Better than they which do much farther go.
   She makes no noise, but stilly seizeth on
   The flower or herb appointed for her food,
   The which she quietly doth feed upon
   While others range and glare, but find no good.
   And though she doth but very softly go,
   However, 'tis not fast nor slow, but sure;
   And certainly they that do travel so,
   The prize they do aim at they do procure.
   

   Comparison.

   Although they seem not much to stir, less go,
   For Christ that hunger, or from wrath that flee,
   Yet what they seek for quickly they come to,
   Though it doth seem the farthest off to be.
   One act of faith doth bring them to that flower
   They so long for, that they may eat and live,
   Which, to attain, is not in others power,
   Though for it a king's ransom they would give.
   Then let none faint, nor be at all dismayed
   That life by Christ do seek, they shall not fail
   To have it; let them nothing be afraid;
   The herb and flower are eaten by the snail.
   

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