I Am a Cow
I am a cow,
and what I do
is look and wonder…
What are you?
You’re not a cow.
I know that’s true.
I have four legs
but you have two.
You have no tail
but I have one.
I have two horns
and you have none.
My nose is wet.
Your nose is dry.
You don’t eat grass.
I don’t eat pie.
My ears are fuzzy.
Yours are not.
You don’t weigh much.
I weigh a lot.
You say hello,
and I say moo.
I am a cow,
but what are you?
— Kenn Nesbitt
Copyright © 2025. All Rights Reserved.
Reading Level: Kindergarten
Topics: Animal Poems
Poetic Techniques: Anthropomorphism & Personification, Descriptive Poems, List Poems
Word Count: 97
About This Poem
The first time I ever saw a cow, I was about three years old. My father took me to a dairy farm, and I remember standing right next to a wooden fence, face to face with a huge cow. I was completely surprised! For many years afterward, my dad loved to tell the story of how I looked up at him and asked, “What do they do to us?”—a question that still makes me laugh today.
While most of my poems are written for kids ages 8 and up, this time I wanted to write something for younger readers, especially Kindergarten students. “I Am a Cow” is a simple and playful poem that encourages curiosity, observation, and comparison. It’s written from the perspective of a cow who is just as puzzled about people as we might be about animals. I hope young readers enjoy thinking about the differences—and maybe even a few similarities—between cows and themselves!
By the way, if you like cows, here are a few more cow poems you might enjoy reading:
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