A TIGER IN THE ZOO: LESLIE NORRIS / C B S E 10

 

He stalks in his vivid stripes (a)

The few steps of his cage,(b)

On pads of velvet quiet,(c)

In his quiet  rage. (b)

 

He should be lurking in shadow, (a)

Sliding through long grass (b)

Near the water hole (c)

Where plump deer pass. (b)

 

He should be snarling around houses (a)

At the jungle’s edge, (b)

Baring his white fangs, his claws, (c)

Terrorising the village! (b)

 

But he’s locked in a concrete cell,(a)

His strength behind bars,(b)

Stalking the length of his cage, (c)

Ignoring visitors. (b)

 

He hears the last voice at night,(a)

The patrolling cars, (b)

And stares with his brilliant eyes (c)

At the brilliant stars.(b)

VOCABULARY

WORDS	MEANINGS		WORDS	MEANINGS
velvet	Very soft		lurking	hiding
vivid	bright		plump	fat
stripes	long narrow bands		snarling	to make an angry and warning sound
cage	prison		edge	Outer area
pads	the soft part under the foot of the tiger		Baring	showing
Stalks	to move quietly and slowly in a threatening way		fangs	two long sharp teeth at the front of the mouths of some animals
quiet	calm		Terrorising	frightening
rage	anger		locked	Under lock and key
concrete	tangible		strength	power
cell	cage		bars	prison
Ignoring	Paying no attention		patrolling	to go around an area at regular times to check that it is safe
stares	Looks minutely		brilliant	very bright

 

POET: (b. 1921 – d. 2006)

Leslie Norris was a prize-winning Welsh poet and short story writer writer. Until 1974 he was a college lecturer, teacher and headmaster. Today he is considered one of the most important Welsh writers of the post-war period. His collections of stories, including Collected Stories, and poems, including Collected Poems, have won many prizes, among them the Cholmondeley Poetry Prize, the David Higham Memorial Prize, the Katherine Mansfield Memorial Award, the AML Award, the AML Award for poetry and the Welsh Arts Council Senior Fiction Award.

SUMMARY:

 

 

CENTRAL IDEA:

In the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’ by Leslie Norris, gives a pen picture of the mental condition of a tiger, a proud mighty creature. It is very sad to see and be, behind the bar for a powerful and mighty creature like a tiger. It is inhuman and shameful. In the natural habitat they lived freely and in their own will. They hunt for food, but not for pleasure. There is no exhibition of power or ferociousness on the part of tiger unless he is attacked. Even in the cage, a tiger pays no attention to the visitors who are enjoying, seeing a tiger from a safe distance.  His every steps declares his power, anger and ignorance. His dislikes and helplessness to be in cage is clear from his movements. This is a forceful and unlawful imprisonment of a dweller of a forest. It reminds us of the pain and anger for the loss of freedom of all living beings.

TITLE:

 

POETIC DEVICES USED:

Metaphor – ‘On pads of velvet quiet’

QUESTIONS: Collected, Compiled & Edited