The fog comes
on little cat feet.
It sits looking
over harbor and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
http://www.poetry-archive.com/s/fog.html
I know this is a cliché children’s poem by Carl Sandburg but it really is one of my favorite poems! As soon as we were told in class to find our favorite children’s poem, I immediately thought of this poem. Later I wondered to myself why this poem out of all the others I learned in school came into my mind. The answer was that the imagery in this poem has stuck with me ever elementary school. This poem contains one of the best metaphors I’ve ever read. The way Sandburg compares fog to a cat is so vivid. Sandburg definitely chose the right animal to use in this poem. After I read this poem I picture in my head this giant cat with little soft feet carefully walking on top of a city. Sandburg makes me think of a cat that is silently stalking his prey and stopping for a minute over each city on his way. Although this poem is short and does not rhyme it is still a very effective poem that creates a lot of imagery. I almost wish the poem was longer just because I like it so much and I want to read more of it. But if it was longer it probably wouldn’t have the same effect.