It’s not every day you find a poem narrated by a donkey! This one, by G.K. Chesterton (best known as the creator of Father Brown), is rather fun.
The Donkey by G.K. Chesterton
When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.
With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.
The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.
Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.
The donkey, in deliberately unscientific language, invites the reader to enter the rather strange, eerie world (“some moment when the moon was blood”) of his birth – a time that seems almost magical. He then goes on to describe his own physical attributes and give us a sense of his bitter destiny.
Something went wrong when the donkey was created, some “ancient … will” was “crooked”. He is somehow an oddity amongst the animals of the world, an “outlaw”, he is contrary, and he looks peculiar and comic with “ears like errant wings”, “monstrous head”, and an unpleasant voice. He’s a parody of the Devil. He seems full of self-hatred and we only know of his identity through the title – the donkey does not name his identity.
At the end of the third stanza, the donkey informs us that he has a secret, and that secret is revealed in the last two lines of the poem. Christ rode him into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, and that one moment gives the donkey confidence in himself. In fact, he seems certain that the shouts and celebration were for him, rather than for Christ (showing that his view of himself is distorted to the end). It’s only in this final verse that he uses the pronoun “I” as he shows pride in his ungainly self because of that one moment.
G.K. Chesterton (Gilbert Keith) was an author and lay theologian. He was born in 1874 and died in 1936. He was very fond of turning ideas inside out, which earned him the nickname ‘Prince of Paradox’. This poem dates from 1927. He converted to Catholicism in his later years.
I am very fond of donkeys, so feel the poor beast is rather too hard on himself, but the poem is a wonderful example of how one brief shining moment can transform an individual’s view of his own worth.
You can listen to the poem here:
Have you enjoyed this poem? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
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Hazel Carter
I learnt to recite this poem as a small child and I still remember it today. As a child I could never understand why the beautiful donkey was so hard on its appearance as I had always loved them and often saw them at the seaside with great delight. As I considered more deeply on this poem, later in life. I realised its simple but poignant symbolism and how so many of us can reflect back on something we have done that has given us great pride – something that makes our time on this earth feel so special ……..
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, it is a poignant poem. I wonder if any children are given it at school today?
Mahon01
Good heavens, no. The point of the poem is that no one is so poor, so broken, or even so despised that they cannot be called as a vessel and a vehicle for the sacred. It is not as much about Christ or the donkey as it is about us: the least of us can have a part to play.
Susannah Fullerton
I think there are many different interpretations of this poem. Thanks for sharing yours.
Cecilia Wickett
I disagree with this interpretation.To me, it’s obvious that the donkey knows he is special because he was chosen to carry Christ. He’s not mistakenly thinking that the cheers are for him. That “far fierce hour and sweet” was an hour that began a series of events that would change the world. The Crucifixion was “far fierce,” the Resurrection was “sweet.”
Chesterton was a devout Catholic. This poem is about Christ, not about an egotistical donkey!
Susannah Fullerton
I know Chesterton was a devout Catholic and I don’t think the poem is simpy about an egotstical donkey. I think the donkey has a subconscious awareness that he is special because he was chosen to carry Christ.
Barbara
I have always adored this poem since I was a child.Even the simplest individual however humble has their special moment in life.
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, it’s a very moving poem. Glad it brought back childhood memories for you.
Louise Morin
My father taught me this poem when I was a child. For some reason it has stayed with my my whole life . I was about 10 years of age. I am now 71 and still remember it and off course it makes me think of the wonderful man who encouraged me to learn it. I still recite it every year
Susannah Fullerton
That’s really lovely that the poem always brings back happy memories for you, Louise. Keep up the yearly recitation!
Roy Quinn
I’m 73 Louise and I learned this poem as a child in primary school at 6 or 7 years old.Its very moving and I get quite emotional when reciting it.
Susannah Fullerton
That was young to be learning such a poem by heart. I am glad my post brought back good memories for you.
Susannah Fullerton
I only came across this poem for the first time recently, and it has been lovely to hear from so many people who learned it at school or have loved it for years. It has had excellent feedback and proved a popular choice.
Donna Fletcher Crow
This has long been one of my favorite poems. So glad you highlighted it!
Lois Cubbin
Loved the poem about the donkey. And very clever name “Oatie”.
Dont’ forget Balaam’s donkey who talked – in Numbers 22. Not so silly !
Susannah Fullerton
Glad you enjoyed the poem!
Susannah Fullerton
Well, if I am ever lucky enough to have a donkey, he would definitely be named Oatie, or (if female) it would have to be Modestine after Stevenson’s donkey in his wonderful travel book. I am so glad you enjoyed the poem – it is very quirky and rather fabulous.
Gail Shore
I came across this poem about sixty years ago and loved it so much I memorised it. So subtle and sad, then ironic. There used to be a donkey in a field near where I live now. Whenever I passed, he would come and put his big grey head through the wire fence and we’d have a little chat. We both knew the secret he was keeping. On a humorous note: A good name for a donkey is Oatie. Then he would be your donkey Oatie.
Wendy Gill
I love this poem and I love donkeys. My husband, when at King’s College in 1956 was required to learn, with his class for English homework, a short poem or sonnet regularly. “The donkey” was one of them. He was delighted when I played the reading to him and was able to quote it word for word to me.
Susannah Fullerton
I am so glad the poem brought back good memories for your husband. I also love donkeys. One of my best ever days on tour was walking in the Cevennes in France with a donkey, in the footsteps of Robert Louis Stevenson and his donkey Modestine.
Robin Apps
The poem made me cry. However, I think the donkey knew who was on his back. His secret, being that he carried God on his humble back. Therefore he became the most important animal in the whole world.
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, the thought that he carried Christ on his back is his one shining moment which gives meaning to his existence. It is a moving poem, isn’t it.
Christine Stevenson
Totally agree with this interpretation, i thought that was the whole focus of the poem -not the donkey itself
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, the donkey is a vehicle for the themes of the poem.
Wendy
God made all the beasts of the field! The donkey is one of my favorite. Everything God made is good and has a purpose.
Susannah Fullerton
I do love the donkey poem, but I am an atheist and can’t agree that everything God is supposed to have made is good – the world is in a terrible mess and I simply cannot see an all-wise or all-loving beneficent god up there.
Helen Gentle
I had a couple of donkey darlings on my Hunter Valley farm in the 80s. They are beautiful, intelligent, delightful creatures. They have deep, soulful eyes and absolutely delightful, soft, inquisitive ears. They run rings around horses in intelligence, and, like cats, remain true to themselves when silly humans think they know better.
A donkey will enter a new paddock, check the perimeter fence, for escape routes, find the water and shade and settle in. A horse, on the other hand, will run straight through the nearest fence!
My female donkey, Lady, really preferred to be ridden home, not out. She would walk slowly and reluctantly until I headed her home, then she was off! Young Patrick, our male, would be calling her from the paddock. I miss them.
GK Chesterton clearly never had a friendship with a donkey.