CLASS 10 POEM FIGURES OF SPEECH

POEM 4- HOW TO TELL WILD ANIMALS

-CAROLYN WELLS
Stanza 1

If ever you should go by chance

To jungles in the east;

And if there should to you advance

A large and tawny beast,

If he roars at you as youre dyin

You'll know it is the Asian Lion

Poetic Devices:

1) Enjambment - It is the continuation of a sentence to the next line without a break -

(And if there should to you advance

A large and tawny beast).

2) Inversion - The format of the sentence has been changed - And if there should to you
advance.

3) Assonance - Prominent sound of the vowel o - you should go should to you

roars at you as you

4) Allusion - Reference to a famous person, animal species or thing - Asian Lion.

5) Personification - The poet has used he instead of it for the animal.

Stanza 2

Or if some time when roaming round,

A noble wild beast greets you,

With black stripes on a yellow ground,

Just notice if he eats you.

This simple rule may help you learn

The Bengal Tiger to discern.

Poetic Devices:

1) Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words - repetition
of letter r in roaming round.

2) Inversion - The format of the sentence has been changed - The Bengal Tiger to discern.

3) Allusion - Reference to a famous person, animal species or thing - Bengal Tiger.

4) Assonance - Prominent sound of the vowel o - Or if some time when roaming round.

5) Personification - The poet has used he instead of it for the animal.

 Stanza 3

If strolling forth, a beast you view,

Whose hide with spots is peppered,

As soon as he has lept on you,

You'll know it is the Leopard.

Twill do no good to roar with pain,

He'll only lep and lep again.

Poetic Devices:

1) Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words - repetition
of letter h in he has.

2) Poetic License - The spelling of a word has been changed to create a rhythm in the poem
- lept instead of leapt is written.

3) Repetition - The word lep has been repeated in the last line.

4) Assonance - Prominent sound of the vowel o - strolling forth, a beast you view whose
hide with spots do no good to roar

5) Consonance - Prominent sound of the consonance l - Hell only lep and lep again.

6) Personification - The poet has used he instead of it for the animal.

Stanza 4

If when you're walking round your yard

You meet a creature there,

Who hugs you very, very hard,

 Be sure it is a Bear.

If you have any doubts, I guess

Hell give you just one more caress.

Poetic Devices:

1) Enjambment - It is the continuation of a sentence to the next line without a break -

(If when you're walking round your yard

You meet a creature there)

2) Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words - repetition
of letter:

• w in when walking
• b in be, bear
• h in hugs you very, very hard

3) Assonance - Prominent sound of the vowel e - You meet a creature there.

4) Personification - The poet has used he instead of it for the animal.

Stanza 5

Though to distinguish beasts of prey

A novice might nonplus,

The Crocodile you always may

Tell from the Hyena thus:

Hyenas come with merry smiles;

But if they weep they're Crocodiles

Poetic Devices:

1) Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words - repetition
of letter:

• n in novice, nonplus
• t in Tell from the Hyena thus.

2) Enjambment - It is the continuation of a sentence to the next line without a break -

(Though to distinguish beasts of prey

A novice might nonplus)

(The Crocodile you always may

Tell from the Hyena thus)

Stanza 6

The true Chameleon is small,

A lizard sort of thing;

He hasn't any ears at all,

And not a single wing.

If there is nothing on the tree,

Tis the chameleon you see.

Poetic Devices:

1) Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words -

repetition of letter 'h' in the line "he hasn't".

2) Consonance - Prominent sound of the consonant g - single wing.

3) Personification - The poet has used "he" instead of "it" for the animal.