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  • Eight Tentacles
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Eight Tentacles

Julia Donaldson

If only I had an octopus
I’d soon get my housework done.
I’d set him to work on the hoovering
With tentacle number one.
Tentacle two would grab a mop
And start on the kitchen floor
While he dusted and polished the furniture
With tentacles three and four.
Tentacle five would turn on the tap
And tackle the washing up
While tentacle six took a well-earned break
And curled round a china cup.
Tentacle seven would make the beds
And set all the pillows straight,
And all the time he’d be balancing
On tentacle number eight.


Julia Donaldson

from Crazy Mayonnaisy Mum (Macmillan, 2004)

Reproduced by permission of the publisher.

Tags:

anthropomorphism housework multitasking National Poetry Day 2008 octopus poems on postcards suitable for children

About this poem

Eight Tentacles National Poetry Day postcard 2008

This poem was reproduced on a postcard for National Poetry Day 2008. Eight poetry postcards are published each year by the Scottish Poetry Library to celebrate National Poetry Day and are distributed throughout Scotland to schools, libraries and other venues. The theme for 2008 was work. You can find out more about National Poetry Day in our National Poetry Day pages, where you’ll also find resources to go with the poems.

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Julia Donaldsonb.1948

Julia Donaldson was the UK Children’s Laureate from 2011 to 2013. She is the author of picture books, fiction for young adults and over twenty plays for children. With illustrator Axel Scheffler, she created the hugely popular Gruffalo series.
More about Julia Donaldson

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