The Squirrel

He wore a question mark for tail, stretched himself on a branch and sat upright eating a nut.

The squirrel's tail curves like a question mark. It lies stretched on a branch, sitting upright while eating a nut.

His fur is grey but he wears a coat of fur the colour of earth.

Though called grey, the squirrel seems dressed in an earth-coloured fur coat.

When he went to another tree, his tail was like a long bushy painter's brush.

As the squirrel runs to another tree, its tail looks like the bushy end of a painter's brush swishing behind it.

The poem compares tail to punctuation and movement to art - simple nature observation.

Armstrong uses surprising comparisons - punctuation and painting - to make us look again at a common animal.

There is no heavy moral - only delight in how the squirrel looks and moves.

The tone is playful and observational, suited to young readers noticing wildlife.

In six lines the poet gives us posture, colour, food and motion - a complete snapshot.

The poem proves that a few vivid images can create a living picture without long description.