The Tortoise
Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem
“Other poems by Apollinaire relate to Orpheus, for example, ‘The Tortoise,’ whose shell—a
gift from Apollo—provided the frame of his lyre.” ~ Michael Schmidt, The First Poets, 23
The tortoise might be thought of as a thing
For poetry by Hughes, his awful “Pike”
And so on. Tortoises don’t make us sing
That often. Ancient ugliness, they’re like
Revolting dinosauric beasts of old
With metal skin, almost, and blankest face.
They drag and scrabble on the land. They’re mold
From pre-historic times. They have a trace
Of hope built in since they’ve survived so long,
But that is it. And yet Apollo gave
A tortoiseshell to Orpheus. The song
Of poetry, the sweetest and the grave,
Has made the tortoise holy in its grim
Repulsiveness. It gave the first great hymn.