Notice the use of the word repeated in lines such as these:

(i) On pads of velvet quite,

In his quite rage.

(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes

At the brilliant stars.

What do you think is the effect of this repetition?

Expressing your Opinion

Do you think there is a color prejudice in our own country? Discuss this with your friend and write a paragraph of about 100 to 150 words about this. You have the option of making your paragraph a humorous one.

(Read the short verse given below)

When you were born you were pink

When you grew up you became white

When you are in the sun you are red

When you are sick you are yellow

When you are angry you are purple

When you are shocked you are grey

And you have the cheek to call me ‘coloured’.

Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks.

(i) Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.

(ii) Find the words that describes the two places, and arrange them in two columns.

Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two situations.

Read the following two poems – one about a tiger and other about a panther. Then discuss:

Are zoos necessary for the protection or conversation of some species of animals? Are they useful for educating the public? Are there alternatives to zoos?

The Tiger

The Tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,

The Tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,

The Tiger behind the bars of his cage roars,

Then he thinks.

It would be nice not to behind all the bars all The Time

Because they spoil my view

I wish I were wild, not on show.

But if I were wild, hunters might shoot me,

But if I were wild, food might poison me,

But if I were wild, water might drown me.

Then he stops thinking

And…..

The Tiger behind the bars of his cage growls,

The Tiger behind the bars of his cage snarls,

The Tiger behind the bars of his cage roars,

-Peter Niblett

The Panther

His vision, from the constantly passing bars, has grown so weary that it cannot hold anything else. It seems to him there are a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world.

As he paces in cramped circles, over and over,

The movement of his powerful soft strides is like a ritual dance around a center in which a mighty will stands paralysed. Only at times, the curtain of the pupils lifts, quietly. An image enters in, rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles, plunges into the heart and is gone.

-Rainer Maria Rilke

Take a point of view for or against zoos, or even consider both points of view and write a couple of paragraphs or speak about the topic for a couple of minutes in a class.