Today I Met an Octopus
Today I met an octopus
who loved to sit and knit.
I watched her weave a woolen cap
and then an oven mitt.
She made a scarf, a pair of gloves,
a sweater, and a shirt,
then turned out several teddy bears,
a blanket, and a skirt.
She made a pillow cover
and pair of knee-high boots,
a hoodie and a tablecloth,
and several three-piece suits.
She made a single slipper next,
and then she made a pair.
She even knitted stockings
and some frilly underwear.
I asked if I could learn to knit.
She told me, “Not right now.
But if you’ll just grow six more arms,
I’ll gladly show you how.”
— Kenn Nesbitt
Copyright © 2025. All Rights Reserved.
Reading Level: Grade 4
Topics: Animal Poems
Poetic Techniques: Alliteration, Anthropomorphism & Personification, List Poems, Narrative Poems
Word Count: 118
About This Poem
The other day, I was re-reading my all-time favorite book of poetry, Colin West’s fabulous collection, The Big Book of Nonsense. In Chapter 1, there is a poem simply titled “Knitting.” In Chapter 2, there is a poem called “Octopus.” I was still thinking about the knitting poem when I started reading the octopus poem, and it occurred to me that an octopus who liked to knit would be a funny idea for a poem.
Of course, none of what was in Colin’s poems is in mine. That would be plagiarism (copying someone else’s work), and plagiarism is wrong, wrong, wrong. But it just goes to show you how you can not only find inspiration in the real world, but also in the works of others. Inspiration can come from anywhere, including art, songs, and even other poems. Just make sure to write your own words!
If you happen to like octopus poems, here are a few more I’ve written:
Worksheet
Click here for a printable worksheet for this poem
Use This Poem
Would you like to use this poem in your classroom? Would you like permission to reprint, record, recite or broadcast this poem, or set it to music? Please click on one of the following links for permissions and reprint rights information:
