Poetry · Chapter
Wild Goose Shot at Midnight explained
A humorous poem recounts the shooting of a wild goose from a flock of four dozen migrating south over the Thames River.
What happens
A humorous poem recounts the shooting of a wild goose from a flock of four dozen migrating south over the Thames River. The hunter, disturbed from sleep by their cackling, shoots one goose, finds it fat and fine, and dines on a single leg, though he expresses regret for the kill.
Themes in this chapter
Nature and the Environment
The poem depicts the migration of wild geese and the hunter's interaction with the natural world, highlighting both the beauty and the harsh realities of rural life.
Agriculture and Rural Economy
The hunter's consumption of the goose reflects the subsistence lifestyle of rural settlers, where hunting supplemented food supplies.
Mortality and Loss
The poem touches on the loss of the goose and the hunter's regret, underscoring the theme of death in the context of survival.
Key passages
“From the regions of the north Where the waters now are frozen, Towards the south they issue forth A flock of wild geese of four dozen.”
A flock of 48 wild geese migrates south from the frozen northern regions.
Sets the scene of seasonal migration.
“But when they flew o'er the river Thames They swooped down to take a dive, But sport with shot gun at them aims And one at least did not survive.”
The geese descend over the Thames River to dive, but a hunter shoots at them, killing at least one.
Describes the pivotal action of the poem.
“And he now says it tasted fine, And that it was both fat and big, A hungry man did on it dine, Satisfied with just one leg.”
The hunter finds the goose delicious, large, and fatty, and a hungry man eats it, satisfied with only one leg.
Highlights the practical outcome of the hunt.
“He was sorry fowl to kill, But they awoke him from his slumber, The air with cackle they did fill, And thus they lost one of their number.”
The hunter regrets killing the goose, but the noise of the flock woke him, leading to the loss of one goose.
Conveys the hunter's mixed feelings of regret and justification.