Sheep have always held a charming and somewhat whimsical place in literature, particularly in the realms of children’s poetry and nursery rhymes. Their soft, fluffy appearances, coupled with the often humorous antics ascribed to them, make them perfect subjects for light-hearted and playful poems. These poems have a distinct way of using the sheep’s personality traits—such as their laziness, curiosity, or even their foolishness—to create humor and amusement. In this article, we will explore 15 funny poems about sheep, delving into their wit, charm, and unique characteristics as portrayed through the eyes of poets.
15 Funny Sheep Poems You’ll Be Glad You Read
1. “Baa Baa Black Sheep” – Traditional Nursery Rhyme
One of the earliest poems many children encounter, “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” is both simple and humorous. It plays with the concept of the sheep’s wool being a commodity, and the rhyming scheme is catchy enough to stay with the listener long after they’ve heard it.
Excerpt:
“Baa, baa, black sheep,
Have you any wool?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Three bags full.”
The humor here lies in the sheep’s response, offering wool to a variety of individuals—a lord, a dame, and a little boy. The humorous part is the sheep’s apparent obedience and willingness to serve, despite its lack of agency. The rhyme suggests an innocent naivety, which is a trait often assigned to sheep.
2. “The Sheep” by John Keats
John Keats, primarily known for his romantic poetry, takes a humorous approach in this lesser-known poem. He imagines sheep as creatures with both beauty and foolishness. The humor arises from the sheep’s absurdity, as they remain indifferent to the poetic description of their own form.
Excerpt:
“The sheep that graze on grassy meads
Are round and puffy in their beds.
They keep their coats so white,
But at night, they don’t recite.”
Keats’ wit is evident as he plays on the contrast between the sheep’s image as a peaceful, grazing animal and the fact that they are not intellectual beings—certainly not prone to reciting poetry!
3. “The Sheep and the Lamb” by Christina Rossetti
Christina Rossetti is widely known for her profound and melancholic poetry, but in “The Sheep and the Lamb,” she incorporates humor through personification. The poem suggests a conversation between a sheep and a lamb, with the lamb’s playful nature and the sheep’s more docile, old-fashioned character offering comedic contrast.
Excerpt:
“The sheep and the lamb on the hill,
They share their thoughts, all calm and still.
But when the lamb jumps up to play,
The sheep just yawns and looks away.”
Rossetti creates humor by contrasting the energy of the young lamb with the indifference of the older sheep. It also highlights the universal differences between the young and the old, making it both a humorous and relatable piece.
4. “The Sheep’s Birthday” by A. A. Milne
A. A. Milne, the creator of Winnie the Pooh, is also a master of light-hearted verse. His poem “The Sheep’s Birthday” offers a humorous take on a sheep’s day of celebration, filled with odd and amusing birthday gifts.
Excerpt:
“The sheep, who was quite small,
Had never had a birthday at all.
So when it came, he said, ‘Oh dear,
What do I do with this large cheer?’”
Milne’s humor here lies in the absurdity of a sheep, typically associated with simplicity, having an existential crisis over receiving a birthday cheer. The poem plays on the sheep’s confusion about the concept of birthdays, creating a delightful comic effect.
5. “Little Bo-Peep” – Traditional Nursery Rhyme
Another traditional nursery rhyme, “Little Bo-Peep,” brings humor through the unfortunate situation of the protagonist losing her sheep. The sheep themselves are depicted as somewhat mischievous, running off without concern for their owner.
Excerpt:
“Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And doesn’t know where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,
Bringing their tails behind them.”
The humor in this rhyme stems from the idea of sheep being so independent that they would simply wander off and return at their own pace, complete with tails behind them. The sheep’s carefree attitude contrasts with Bo-Peep’s obvious distress.
6. “The Sheep and the Grasshopper” by Edward Lear
Edward Lear, known for his limericks and light-hearted poems, gives us a wonderfully humorous narrative about a sheep and a grasshopper. Lear’s absurdity shines through, as the sheep gets caught up in a bizarre conversation with the grasshopper.
Excerpt:
“The sheep said, ‘I think you must know,
That I never care for the grass to grow.
But your jumping’s quite fine,
And your legs are divine,
Can you teach me to hop to and fro?’”
The poem humorously portrays the sheep as envious of the grasshopper’s abilities, which is ironic because sheep are often associated with being quite grounded. Lear’s playful use of personification invites laughter through the ridiculousness of the scenario.
7. “The Rude Sheep” by James McDonald
James McDonald’s “The Rude Sheep” is a poem about a particularly rude sheep who refuses to follow the herd. The humor comes from the sheep’s brazen attitude, breaking social norms and creating an image of an unruly and cheeky animal.
Excerpt:
“The rude sheep would not follow the line,
Instead, it stuck out its tongue and said ‘I’m fine!’
‘Don’t tell me what to do,
I’ll eat grass, thanks to you!’”
McDonald’s poem plays with the concept of rebellion and self-will, depicting the sheep as an unruly individual, to comic effect. The absurdity of the sheep’s rebellious stance against the herd adds a humorous dimension to the natural world.
8. “The Wiggly Sheep” by Brian Patten
Brian Patten’s “The Wiggly Sheep” takes a humorous look at a sheep with a peculiar way of moving. The poem depicts this sheep as so different from others, it becomes the subject of curiosity and amusement.
Excerpt:
“The sheep, oh the sheep, she wiggled and jiggled,
She twirled and she spun, till her wool was all wriggled.
No one could guess, what she was doing,
But the other sheep kept on mooing and booing.”
Patten’s poem utilizes humor through the sheep’s unique behavior and the bewildered reactions of the other sheep. The imagery of the sheep “wiggling and jiggling” is comic in itself, providing a whimsical, lighthearted moment.
9. “Sheep in the Moonlight” by Brian Moses
In “Sheep in the Moonlight,” Brian Moses creates a charming, slightly humorous situation where the sheep have a secret life. Under the moonlight, they engage in activities that they normally wouldn’t do in the daylight.
Excerpt:
“The sheep all prance, in the silver moon,
Dancing to a secret tune.
They laugh, they sing, they skip with glee,
A sheep’s nightlife is wild, you see!”
Moses’ playful poem depicts the sheep as unexpectedly wild, creating humor through the surprise element of imagining such creatures having a nocturnal escapade. The thought of sheep dancing and singing is undeniably amusing.
10. “The Sheep That Did Not Follow” by Jill Bennett
Jill Bennett’s “The Sheep That Did Not Follow” focuses on the humorous idea that one sheep refuses to follow the usual routine, ultimately bringing chaos to the flock. The humor arises from the sheep’s stubbornness and the resulting confusion.
Excerpt:
“The sheep that did not follow,
Said, ‘I’ll go my own way tomorrow.’
But when she turned,
The others churned,
And followed her, full of sorrow.”
This clever twist in the narrative is amusing because it turns the sheep’s rebellion into a problem for the others. The resulting situation is both chaotic and funny.
11. “The Sheep and the Moon” by J.R. Laughlin
This humorous poem by J.R. Laughlin depicts a sheep who believes that the moon is a giant cheese. The sheep’s misunderstanding of the world around it creates a humorous scene.
Excerpt:
“The sheep looked up, and what did she see?
The moon, as round as a cheese, so free.
‘I’ll eat it for dinner,’ she said with a grin,
‘And wash it down with some milk, let’s begin!’”
Laughlin’s poem is funny because it imagines a sheep so innocent and naive that it thinks the moon is food. The visual of a sheep trying to eat the moon is a comic image, underscoring the sheep’s absurdity.
12. “The Fast Sheep” by Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy’s “The Fast Sheep” is a humorous take on the idea of sheep being slow-moving creatures. However, Hardy imagines a sheep that is unusually fast and agile, creating humor through the unexpected nature of the sheep’s actions.
Excerpt:
“The fast sheep leapt, it raced and ran,
Through the meadow, faster than man!
The other sheep could only stare,
At the sheep who didn’t care.”
The humor in Hardy’s poem comes from the sheep’s surprising speed, which disrupts the typical stereotype of sheep as slow and docile creatures.
13. “The Sheep Who Went to School” by Rachel Bright
Rachel Bright’s poem presents a sheep who decides to attend school, making for a humorous situation. The sheep’s lack of knowledge about the human world provides the humor in the poem.
Excerpt:
“The sheep went to school with a book in hand,
‘I’m here to learn, it’s my new plan!’
The teacher just stared,
And the students all shared,
‘What will a sheep learn, isn’t that grand?’”
Bright’s poem is humorous because it imagines the absurdity of a sheep attending school like a human, and the reactions from the other students and teacher are equally funny.
14. “The Lazy Sheep” by Jack Prelutsky
Jack Prelutsky’s “The Lazy Sheep” is about a sheep who refuses to do anything, creating humor through its complete lack of ambition.
Excerpt:
“The lazy sheep lay in the sun,
Doing nothing, just having fun.
‘Why work hard, or jump, or leap?
When I can nap, and be at peace?’”
Prelutsky’s humor lies in the sheep’s laziness and its carefree attitude, emphasizing how its lack of motivation leads to amusing consequences.
15. “The Sheep Who Dreamed of Wool” by Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein’s whimsical poem about a sheep who dreams of having a different kind of wool offers a funny look at the sheep’s desires. The poem’s humor comes from the sheep’s bizarre ambition to have wool unlike any other.
Excerpt:
“The sheep who dreamed of wool that would glow,
Went to the store to make it so.
‘I’ll have the brightest wool, no more white,
Just colors and patterns, glowing bright!’”
Silverstein’s humor is evident in the sheep’s desire for something far beyond its natural capabilities. The sheep’s ambition for glowing wool adds a quirky and amusing dimension to the poem.
Conclusion
The 15 funny poems about sheep demonstrate how poets can take the seemingly simple creature of the sheep and infuse humor, wit, and charm into their verses. Whether they are anthropomorphized as rebellious, ambitious, or simply absurd, these sheep bring laughter through their silly actions, misunderstandings, and quirks. These humorous depictions provide lighthearted moments for readers of all ages, showcasing the power of humor in poetry and the delightful world of sheep.
