The Yellow-Hammer-Mary Webb

THE YELLOW-HAMMER

When Butter-and-Eggs in blossom was,

And the hour noon by the Shepherd's Glass,

The Yellow-hammer on the eglantine

Called his wife and child to dine,

But his wife cried out, 'Not these! Not these!

I will not dine with the bumble bees.'

And his fledgling son, from the cornel spray,

Scoffed and scolded and fluted away.

So the Yellow-hammer lifted high

His bright barred head to the bright blue sky,

And he called to the fairies in the fairy ring

All day drowsily slumbering,

'Pernickety they are. They like not these,

So go to the larder and bring, bring, bring

A little bit of bread and no cheese!'


MARY WEBB


Summary: 'The Yellow-Hammer' by Mary Webb is a short poem about a bird called the yellow-hammer who calls his family to dine. However, his wife refuses to eat with the bumblebees and his son mocks and flutes away. The yellow-hammer then calls upon fairies in a fairy ring to bring bread without cheese, as his family is pernickety and does not like certain foods. The poem is set during noon when butter-and-eggs are in blossom, and the yellow-hammer lifts his bright head to the bright blue sky.

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