Here is How to Tell Wild Animals, a detailed exploration and explanation of the figure of speech and its many facets.  In this post, we have explained various examples of figurative speech, providing a comprehensive understanding of How to Tell Wild Animals in terms of all Poetic Device. We have also told the reason why a particular figure of speech occurs in a particular line. This is going to help the children of various classes Class X. Dive in for figure of speech examples- 

Figure of Speech in How to Tell Wild Animals 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 you’re dyin’  
You’ll know it is the Asian Lion…

1. Figure of Speech: Imagery  
Exact Line: “To jungles in the east;”  
Reason: This line creates a vivid visual setting, placing the reader in the exotic and distant jungles of the east.

2. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole  
Exact Line: “If he roars at you as you’re dyin’”  
Reason: This is an exaggeration for dramatic effect. The phrase suggests an extreme reaction (dying from fear) to the lion’s roar, which adds to the humor and vividness of the poem.

3. Figure of Speech: Rhyme  
Exact Line: The whole stanza   
Reason: The stanza follows a rhyme scheme (AABBCC), which is evident in the rhyming words ‘chance’ with ‘advance’ and ‘beast’ with ‘east’, ‘dyin’’ with ‘Lion…’. This rhyme scheme adds a rhythmic quality to the poem.

How to Tell Wild Animals Poetic Device- 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.

1. Figure of Speech: Irony  
Exact Line: “Just notice if he eats you.”  
Reason: This line is ironic because it suggests a humorously understated way of identifying a Bengal Tiger (by being eaten), which is an absurd and lethal method for animal identification.

2. Figure of Speech: Alliteration  
Exact Line: “roaming round,” 
Reason: The repetition of the ‘r’ sound in “roaming round” creates a rhythmic effect and adds to the poem’s playful tone.

Re-evaluating the line “A noble wild beast greets you,” it indeed seems more fitting to classify it as an oxymoron rather than a metaphor:

3. Figure of Speech: Oxymoron 
Exact Line: “A noble wild beast greets you,”  
Reason: The phrase combines two contrasting ideas: ‘noble,’ which often connotes dignity or high moral qualities, and ‘wild beast,’ which suggests untamed and potentially dangerous nature. This juxtaposition of contrasting terms creates an oxymoron, emphasizing the ironic humor in describing a dangerous animal like a tiger as ‘noble.’

4. Figure of Speech: Imagery  
Exact Line: “With black stripes on a yellow ground,”  
Reason: This line vividly describes the Bengal Tiger’s distinctive appearance, painting a clear visual picture for the reader.

5. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole  
Exact Line: “Just notice if he eats you.”  
Reason: This is an exaggeration for dramatic and humorous effect. It is highly improbable to casually ‘notice’ being eaten, which underscores the poem’s playful tone.

6. Figure of Speech: Personification  
Exact Line: “A noble wild beast greets you,”  
Reason: The tiger is personified through the action of ‘greeting,’ attributing a human-like behavior to an animal.

7. Figure of Speech: Poetic Licence  
Reason: The stanza as a whole employs poetic licence in its playful and unconventional approach to describing a dangerous animal, particularly in the use of humor and irony.

Figures of Speech Poem – How to Tell Wild Animals 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.

1. Figure of Speech: Imagery  
Exact Line: “Whose hide with spots is peppered,”  
Reason: This line vividly describes the leopard’s spotted hide, creating a clear and visual image in the reader’s mind.

2. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole  
Exact Line: “As soon as he has lept on you,” / “He’ll only lep and lep again”  
Reason: These lines exaggerate the leopard’s behavior for humorous effect, suggesting an overly dramatic and persistent attack.

3. Figure of Speech: Irony  
Exact Line: “’Twill do no good to roar with pain,”  
Reason: This line is ironic because it humorously suggests that roaring (typically a predatory action) would be a futile human response to a leopard’s attack.

4. Figure of Speech: Alliteration  
Exact Line: “lep and lep again”  
Reason: The repetition of the ‘l’ sound in “lep and lep” adds a rhythmic quality to the poem, enhancing its playful tone.

5. Figure of Speech: Poetic Licence  
Exact Line: “lept” / “lep”  
Reason: The poet uses non-standard forms of ‘leapt’ and ‘leap’ for rhyme and rhythm, demonstrating poetic licence.

How to Tell Wild Animals Poetic Device- 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  
He’ll give you just one more caress.

1. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole  
Exact Line: “Who hugs you very, very hard,”  
Reason: This line exaggerates the bear’s action of ‘hugging,’ which is humorously used to describe a potentially dangerous encounter with a bear.

2. Figure of Speech: Irony  
Exact Line: “If you have any doubts, I guess / He’ll give you just one more caress.”  
Reason: These lines are ironic because the terms ‘doubts’ and ‘caress’ are used humorously to describe a bear’s aggressive behavior, which is quite the opposite of the gentle connotation of ‘caress.’

3. Figure of Speech: Personification  
Exact Line: “Who hugs you very, very hard,”  
Reason: The bear is personified by the action of ‘hugging,’ a human-like behavior, to humorously describe the bear’s potential attack.

4. Figure of Speech: Understatement  
Exact Line: “If you have any doubts, I guess”  
Reason: This line employs understatement by casually suggesting that one might have ‘doubts’ about the animal’s identity, downplaying the dangerous nature of the situation.

Figures of Speech Poem – How to Tell Wild Animals 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.

1. Figure of Speech: Irony  
Exact Line: “Hyenas come with merry smiles; / But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.”  
Reason: This is an example of irony because hyenas and crocodiles are attributed with human-like expressions (‘merry smiles’ and ‘weeping’), which are contrary to their actual animal behaviors. It humorously implies that one can differentiate these animals by such human expressions, which is ironic and absurd.

2. Figure of Speech: Alliteration  
Exact Line: “novice might nonplus,”  
Reason: The repetition of the ‘n’ sound in “novice” and “nonplus” creates a rhythmic effect, adding to the poem’s playful tone.

3. Figure of Speech: Personification  
Exact Line: “Hyenas come with merry smiles; / But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.” 
Reason: This personifies the hyena and crocodile by attributing them with the ability to smile and weep, respectively, which are human characteristics.

4. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole  
Exact Line: “But if they weep they’re Crocodiles.”  
Reason: This line exaggerates by humorously suggesting that crocodiles weep, an overstatement to differentiate them from hyenas.

How to Tell Wild Animals Poetic Device- 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.

1. Figure of Speech: Imagery  
Exact Line: “The true Chameleon is small, / A lizard sort of thing;”  
Reason: These lines create a clear visual image of the chameleon, describing its size and likening it to a lizard, which helps the reader visualize the animal.

2. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole  
Exact Line: “If there is nothing on the tree, / ’Tis the chameleon you see.”  
Reason: This is an exaggeration for effect. The chameleon, while having excellent camouflage, doesn’t literally become ‘nothing’ or completely invisible, but the line exaggerates this ability to stress its effectiveness.

3. Figure of Speech: Alliteration  
Exact Line: “He hasn’t any ears at all,”  
Reason: The repetition of the ‘a’ sound in “any” and “at all” adds a rhythmic quality to the line.

4. Figure of Speech: Paradox  
Exact Line: “If there is nothing on the tree, / ’Tis the chameleon you see.”  
Reason: This line presents a paradox — the idea of seeing ‘nothing’ on the tree being indicative of the chameleon’s presence. It plays on the concept of seeing by not seeing, a contradictory notion that emphasizes the chameleon’s camouflage.

5. Figure of Speech: Understatement  
Exact Line: “A lizard sort of thing;”  
Reason: This line downplays the unique nature of the chameleon, referring to it casually as “a lizard sort of thing,” which is an understatement given the chameleon’s distinctive features and abilities.

6. Figure of Speech: Irony  
Exact Line: “If there is nothing on the tree, / ’Tis the chameleon you see.”  
Reason: This line is ironic because it plays on the paradoxical nature of the chameleon’s camouflage. The irony lies in the statement that seeing ‘nothing’ (an empty tree) is actually an indication of the chameleon’s presence. It humorously reverses expectations: the absence of a visible creature signifies its presence, highlighting the chameleon’s exceptional ability to blend in with its environment.