Little Pigs — Summary

Hazel McKayCheerful

How these made it into a poem, I do not know. There they stand, Whispering into each other's ears, Telling stories and sharing secrets. They actually do look cute.

Show the whole poemHide the poem

Learn Poems app

Try the Learn Poems app

Everything from the website trainer, and more: new exercises, voice recording and sharing, reminders, quick review.

The speaker begins with a small joke at their own expense: they have no idea how these pigs ended up in a poem. It's a casual, almost shrugging opening, as if the pigs wandered in uninvited. Then the focus shifts to what the speaker sees. The little pigs stand close together, whispering in each other's ears, swapping stories and secrets. The speaker gives them human habits, so they seem less like animals and more like a pair of friends huddled in a corner at a party.

The final line, "They actually do look cute," lands with a gentle surprise. The word "actually" suggests the speaker didn't expect to feel this way, and has been won over by the scene. The mood is light, warm and playful. Nothing dramatic happens, and the poem seems to say that's fine. Sometimes a small, charming sight is reason enough to write something down, even if you can't explain why it made it onto the page.

Read also

More by Hazel McKay

All poems
SadHazel McKay

Terrains

The tough ground hurts my feet as I walk along. I'm tired and there is no stream in which I can quench my thirst. There is not a tree in sight that can provide me with shade. When will my journey end?
DreamyHazel McKay

Silhouettes

We stand at the gate, Two best friends, Looking across the field, Two best friends,
CheerfulHazel McKay

Joy

I'm not happy, I'm not ecstatic. I'm not excited. I'm feeling