Ray’s favorite holiday is Groundhog’s Day, and so in honor of his favorite day and our dearest weather predictor, I figured I would share this funny poem about Groundhog’s day found in the February 6, 1884 edition of the Lancaster Intelligencer newspaper.
While the name of the poem is The Search for Truth, it seems to be a groundhog’s day themed parody of the Edgar Allen Poe poem, The Raven, since the poem follows a very similar structure and even some of the same words.
The poem was published without an author listed and so it is hard to say who exactly wrote it. If you know anything about this poem please let us know in the comments section below!
The Search for Truth Thro' the darkness, dread and dreary, Long I wandered, weak and weary, Over many a hill and valley I had never trod before; And the biting weather chilled me, Thrilled me, numbed me, nearly killed me! But, by daybreak, I was standing Shivering near the groundhog's door; Saw the wondrous weather prophet, Squatted by his chamber door! Only this –– and nothing more! Silent sat he, winking, blinking, Toward the Orient, as it thinking Some great thought no other groundhog Never dared to think before! Silent, as if prophesying 'Gainst the wicked, bare-faced living Of the brood of weather prophets That had prophesied of yore –– Promised us an open winter, As they promised us before, Lied, as usual –– nothing more! Ne'er before had man set eyes on Such a glorious horizon, Such a wealth of gorgeous colors As the eastern heavens wore. When the golden sun ascending, Toward the zenith slowing trending, Casting blended lights and shadows, Far and wide--from shore to shore –– Cast the shadows of the groundhog Clear and sharp upon the shore –– Quoth the groundhog, "Six weeks more!" "Prophet," said I, "good or evil Prophet still, if saint or devil, Whether tempter sent, or whether Tempest tossed, thee here ashore; Desolate, yet all undaunted On this desert land enchanted –– On this land by horror haunted –– Tell me truly, I implore, Is there any hope of springtime? Will the winter soon be o'er?" Quoth the groundhog, "Six weeks more!" "Be that word our sign of parting, Prophet," said I, quick upstarting, "Get thee back into thy burrow, There to doze, and sleep, and snore! For the truth that thou hast spoken, My poor heart has well nigh broken; And the never-failing token of thy shadow on the shore –– Of thy grim and ghostly shadow Thrown upon the frozen shore –– Lengthens winter six weeks more." And the groundhog now is sleeping, Calmly sleeping, sweetly sleeping, Far beneath the frozen surface That the storms are breaking o'er; And I, alas, am shivering, shaking, Trembling, chattering, sniveling, aching, Sneezing, wheezing, freezing –– greasing Nose and throat and thorax sore –– And eke must wheeze and sneeze and freeze, And grease my frozen body o'er, For six long weeks – for six weeks more! –––– Originally published February 6, 1884, Lancaster Intelligencer
I hope you enjoy this fun groundhog’s day parody poem and of course if you like this poem or have any other groundhog’s day poems you’d like to share, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!