Spanking in poetry
The subject of spanking is found not only in prose, but also in all kinds of poetry. Spanking verse describes poetic work that is primarily spanking focused. But there is also poetry that has its focus elsewhere and just contains a brief reference to spanking.
Spanking as a metaphor
Often, especially in old poetry, the motif of spanking is used as a symbol for something else. For example, consider the well-known nursery rhyme:
- There was an old woman who lived in a shoe,
- She had so many children she didn't know what to do;
- She gave them some broth without any bread;
- Then whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.
According to one interpretation, the "shoe" is (southern) Italy and the "old woman" represents rural members of the Catholic Church who lived in great poverty. Partly due to the Church's position on birth control, these people often had a great number of children, resulting in malnutrition and, not uncommonly, domestic violence. So the verse criticizes the Catholic Church.
Another interpretation says the "shoe" stands for the British Isles, the "old woman" is Parliament, and the "many children" are the colonies of the British Empire. Parliament "whipped her misbehaving children" by appointing the much-hated James I to the throne.
Other examples
Another example is the well-known rhyme
- There was a little girl,
- And she had a little curl
- Right in the middle of her forehead.
- When she was good
- She was very, very good,
- And when she was bad she was horrid.
- One day she went upstairs,
- When her parents, unawares,
- In the kitchen were occupied with meals,
- And she stood upon her head
- In her little trundle-bed,
- And then began hooraying with her heels.
- Her mother heard the noise,
- And she thought it was the boys
- A-playing at a combat in the attic;
- But when she climbed the stair,
- And found Jemima there,
- She took and she did spank her most emphatic.
- (by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882)
See also
Links
- The old woman who lived in a shoe - Spanking Gallery
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