1961. Treasury of the world's most beloved poems. New York: Avenel Books.
Prelutsky, Jack. 1983. Zoo doings. New York: Scholastic. ISBN: 0-590-05391-4.
Introduction
These are two poems about tigers. The first one, the "classic," is by William Blake. The second poem is by Jack Prelutsky.
The Tyger
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forest of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread gasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who make the Lamb make thee?
The Bengal Tiger
The Bengal tiger likes to eat
enormous quantities of meat.
Now people have been heard to say
that tigers hypnotize their prey.
So please do not take foolish chances;
avoid the Bengal tiger's glances.
Extension
Have students write their own animal poems.
Module Six Poem Selections: