A Tiger in the Zoo

In vivid stripes the tiger stalks the few steps of his cage on velvet-quiet pads, full of quiet rage. Stanza 1 shows the zoo.

"He stalks in his vivid stripes / The few steps of his cage, / On pads of velvet quiet, / In his quiet rage." The beauty of the tiger - stripes, velvet paws - contrasts with the tiny space. His anger is silent, contained, constant.

The poet imagines what the tiger should be doing: lurking in shadow, sliding through long grass near the water hole where plump deer pass. Stanza 2 is the jungle.

"He should be lurking in shadow, / Sliding through long grass / Near the water hole / Where plump deer pass." The conditional "should be" marks the freedom denied. The jungle is shadow, grass, prey - the tiger's natural role as hunter.

He should be snarling around houses at the jungle's edge, baring white fangs and claws, terrorising the village. Stanza 3 continues the wild picture.

"He should be snarling around houses / At the jungle's edge, / Baring his white fangs, his claws, / Terrorising the village!" Norris does not romanticise only gentle nature - the wild tiger is fierce. Yet even this danger is preferable to concrete imprisonment.

But he is locked in a concrete cell; his strength is behind bars. He stalks the length of his cage and ignores visitors. Stanza 4 returns to the zoo.

"But he's locked in a concrete cell, / His strength behind bars, / Stalking the length of his cage, / Ignoring visitors." The turn "But" is sharp. Concrete, bars, and ignored humans stress unnatural confinement. Power is present but useless.

At night he hears the last voice and patrolling cars, and stares with brilliant eyes at the brilliant stars. Stanza 5 is again the zoo - loneliness under the open sky.

"He hears the last voice at night, / The patrolling cars, / And stares with his brilliant eyes / At the brilliant stars." Repetition of "quiet" and "brilliant" heightens feeling. The stars are free; the tiger is not. Patrol cars suggest human control even after dark.