A Wise Old Owl

The nursery rhyme "A Wise Old Owl" was created in the USA. Although we are unsure of its precise roots, it most likely dates to the 19th century. John D. Rockefeller brought it up for the first time at the start of the 20th century.

In this nursery rhyme, the owl is interpreted as a representation of wisdom. Children can learn this rhyme quite easily, and it works well for teaching them the value of silence. This poem, during World War II used by American soldiers to show that silence means security.

The four-line poem "A Wise Old Owl," whose origin is unknown, has been mentioned in literature since 1883. A source from 1904 (below) gives credit for this poem to  Bromley, an immortal poet.

Owl

“A Wise Old Owl” Poem Lyrics

A wise old owl lived in an oak

The more he saw, the less he spoke

The less he spoke, the more he heard.

Why can’t we all be like that wise old bird?

A Wise Old Owl Poem

Owl as a Poet’s Choice

The owl has become the ideal subject for poets and poems because of its nocturnal habit, distinctive look, and association with legends and folklore. Some famous poets that write poetry about owls are Kobayashi Issa, Alan Watts and Emily Dickinson, who are influenced by owls today.

Unknown Poet of the "A Wise Old Owl" Poem

An Industrialist and a Poem

John D. Rockefeller, a billionaire who lived from July 8, 1839, to May 23, 1937, is still considered to be one of the wealthiest people in history. In 1870, he emerged from humble beginnings to form Standard Oil. He then brutally set out to eliminate his rivals in order to monopolise the oil business. He expanded into related industries like iron, steel, and copper, as well as railroads, corner stores, and newspapers. He clashed with the American government, which created the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890 to break up Standard Oil. This led to a protracted legal dispute, which the government ultimately won in 1911.

In 1896, Rockefeller retired, handing the reins of his business to his lone son, and began a second career as a philanthropist. Owl's poem gained popularity after John D. Rockefeller quotes the lines of this poem.

John D. Rockefeller

Fun Fact about Owl

• An owl's eyes are not its actual "eyeballs." As a result of their tube-shaped eyes' complete immobility, they have binocular vision that allows them to fully focus on their prey and improve depth perception.

• The ears of many owl species are asymmetrical. The ears of owls can locate sounds in many dimensions when positioned at various heights on their heads. Get set, aim, and strike.

• A parliament is a collection of owls. This is based on a passage in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis about an owl gathering.

• Owls have a 270-degree neck rotation. When neck movement cuts off circulation, a blood-pooling system gathers blood to fuel their brains and eyes.

• The owls hunt each other. The largest predator of the lesser Barred Owl is the Great Horned Owl.

Fact about an Owl

Summary 

A wise old owl is a poem that tells about the wisdom of an owl. In this poem owl is depicted as a wise bird and also earlier humans see owl as a symbol of wisdom, owl is a nocturnal bird, which you can easily see around yourself.