A Tiger in the Zoo

 A Tiger in the Zoo 
   By Leslie Norris

This poem presents the importance of freedom by contrasting a tiger in the zoo with the tiger in its natural surroundings. To make it understand, the poet moves from the zoo to the forest, and returns back again to the zoo.

First of all the poet describes the physical appearance of the tiger. The poet says that the tiger with his clear and beautiful stripes walks only a few steps inside the cage as he is locked there. As his freedom is suppressed by putting him behind the bars, he walks quietly on his pads as soft as velvet. He is full of anger, but can't express his anger as he is locked inside the cage.

Here the poet presents the behaviour of the tiger in its natural habitat. According to the poet, the cage is not a place where the tiger should be kept. As per the poet he should be in his natural habitat; and that he should be waiting quietly and secretly in the shadow of the tree, or sliding through the long grass near the water bodies where the animals come for drinking water so that he can have his food by killing the robust deer.

The poet further describes the behaviour of the tiger by saying that because of anger he should be on the outskirts of the forest near the village, roaring at the villagers; and terrifying the villagers passing by by showing his white teeth and claws. So it's our duty to stop cutting trees because if the habitat of animals is destroyed, they will enter villages and the people residing there will have to live in an atmosphere of fear.

Here the poet describes the helplessness of the tiger. He says that he cannot use his strength to do anything as he is locked in a cage, and so he walks only a few steps as the space is limited. He also ignores the visitors who come there to see him, showing that he is quite upset the ways human beings treat him. The poet wants to warn us that it's not just to keep an animal in the cage for our enjoyment as it will create imbalance in nature.

Here the poet says that he hears the voice of the patrolling cars but takes no interest in that and looks at the brilliant stars with the brilliant eyes. The poet tries to show us that everybody, even animals, likes freedom. Nobody is happy in case the freedom is snatched. It is our obligation to let them live independently and protect their habitats from those who try to destroy for their own benefits.