Boy and Egg
Naomi Shihab Nye
Boy and Egg
Every few minutes, he wants
to march the trail of flattened rye grass
back to the house of muttering
hens. He too could make
a bed in hay. Yesterday the egg so fresh
it felt hot in his hand and he pressed it
to his ear while the other children
laughed and ran with a ball, leaving him,
so little yet, too forgetful in games,
ready to cry if the ball brushed him,
riveted to the secret of birds
caught up inside his fist,
not ready to give it over
to the refrigerator
or the rest of the day.
Poetry Out Loud - Boy and Egg
Bio of author
Critical Acclaim
About her work, the poet William Stafford has said, “her poems combine transcendent liveliness and sparkle along with warmth and human insight. She is a champion of the literature of encouragement and heart. Reading her work enhances life.”
"Boy and Egg" Theme
"The poem "Boy and Egg" is a literary work written by Naomi Shihab Nye, which deals with themes of character´s internal struggles and isolation...The boy, in the case of "Boy and Egg", appears trapped by several factors, such as the social environment that surrounds him and his emotional struggles."