How to Tell Wild Animals

• About the Poet
  • Carolyn Wells
  • American writer and poet
  • Known for humorous and light verse
• Central Theme & Tone
  • Humorous and satirical guide
  • Identifies wild animals through dangerous ways
  • Uses wit, irony, and portmanteau words
• Stanza-wise Animals and Characteristics
  • Asian Lion
    • Tawny beast
    • Found in east jungles of Asia
    • Roars at you as you die
  • Bengal Tiger
    • Noble wild beast
    • Greets you with black stripes on a yellow ground
    • Eats you up instantly (Notice if he eat you)
  • Leopard
    • Peppered with spots
    • Leaps on its victim repeatedly
    • Crying won't help (lep will do no good)
  • Bear
    • Hugs you very hard
    • A gentle bearhug can kill
    • Novices might get confused with hyenas
  • Hyena and Crocodile
    • Hyena: Comes with merry smiles
    • Crocodile: Weeps while swallowing prey
  • Chameleon
    • Small lizard-like creature
    • No ears and not a single wing
    • Changes color to blend in (camouflages)
• Literary & Poetic Devices
  • Rhyme Scheme: ababcc in each stanza
  • Enjambment: Running lines without punctuation
  • Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds (Roaming round, Novice might nonplus)
  • Poetic License: Intentional spelling/grammar distortion (lep, left) for rhythm and rhyme