Comparing Poems

Big Question: How are dogs presented in the poem, The Lone Dog?

Do Now:
Dogs, a ‘Man’s Best Friend’?
Dogs have often been described as a ‘man’s best friend’. To explore this aspect, complete
the two tasks below:

● Write a list of a dog’s characteristics or things that they do that make them a
‘man’s best friend’.

● Write a list of a dog’s characteristics or things that they do that would not
make them a ‘man’s best friend’.
Let’s read the poem:
Step 1: Look up and annotate any words you’re
The Lone Dog unsure of.
by Irene McLeod

I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog, and lone; Step 2: Find examples of:
I’m a rough dog, a tough dog, hunting on my own;
- Assonance
I’m a bad dog, a mad dog, teasing silly sheep;
I love to sit and bay the moon, to keep fat souls from sleep.
- Repetition
- Declaratives
I’ll never be a lap dog, licking dirty feet, - Exclamatory language
A sleek dog, a meek dog, cringing for my meat,
Not for me the fireside, the well-filled plate,
- Anaphora (challenge word)
But shut door, and sharp stone, and cuff and kick, and hate.

Step 3: In your own words, describe what you

Not for me the other dogs, running by my side,
Some have run a short while, but none of them would bide.
think this dog is like and why.
O mine is still the lone trail, the hard trail, the best,
Wide wind, and wild stars, and hunger of the quest!

Big Question: How are dogs presented in the poem, The Lone Dog?
Let’s read the poem: Let’s read the poem:

The Lone Dog The Lone Dog

by Irene McLeod by Irene McLeod

I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog, and lone; I’m a lean dog, a keen dog, a wild dog, and lone;
I’m a rough dog, a tough dog, hunting on my own; I’m a rough dog, a tough dog, hunting on my own;
I’m a bad dog, a mad dog, teasing silly sheep; I’m a bad dog, a mad dog, teasing silly sheep;
I love to sit and bay the moon, to keep fat souls from sleep. I love to sit and bay the moon, to keep fat souls from sleep.

I’ll never be a lap dog, licking dirty feet, I’ll never be a lap dog, licking dirty feet,
A sleek dog, a meek dog, cringing for my meat, A sleek dog, a meek dog, cringing for my meat,
Not for me the fireside, the well-filled plate, Not for me the fireside, the well-filled plate,
But shut door, and sharp stone, and cuff and kick, and hate. But shut door, and sharp stone, and cuff and kick, and hate.

Not for me the other dogs, running by my side, Not for me the other dogs, running by my side,
Some have run a short while, but none of them would bide. Some have run a short while, but none of them would bide.
O mine is still the lone trail, the hard trail, the best, O mine is still the lone trail, the hard trail, the best,
Wide wind, and wild stars, and hunger of the quest! Wide wind, and wild stars, and hunger of the quest!
Words/phrases the speaker Words/phrases the speaker uses Words/phrases the speaker uses
uses to describe himself to explain things he does to explain thing he won’t do

Task:

What’s the dog like?

Complete the table to
help us make
judgements about it.

Challenge: What does

the information you
have put in your table
suggest about
whether this dog
would be considered
‘man’s best friend’?
Why?

Big Question: How are dogs presented in the poem, The Lone Dog?
‘Not for me the other dogs,
running by my side’

ME: Solitary (likes to be on its

own)

The lone dog

WE: is…

Big Question: How are dogs presented in the poem, The Lone Dog?
Show what you know…
How does this poem make you feel about dogs?

Using quotations from the poem to support your ideas, write 1-3 paragraphs
explaining what impression you are given of dogs, as portrayed in the poem.

Challenge: In your paragraph, use terminology and evaluation to analytically

support your ideas.

Big Question: How are dogs presented in the poem, The Lone Dog?