THE SNARE

I hear a sudden cry of pain

There is a rabbit in a snare

Now I hear the cry again

But i cannot tell from where

But I cannot tell from where

He is calling out for aid

Crying on the frightened air

Making everything afraid !

Making everything afraid !

Wrinking up his little face !

As he cries again for aid

And I cannot find the place !

And I cannot find the place

Where his paw is in the snare

Little one ! oh ! Little one !!

I am searching everywhere !

The Poet : James stephens was an Irish poet (1880 - 1950)

                He was also a well known novelist.

Content :

          This is a poem which has a universal theme.when we read this poem we are made to visualise a helpless rabit caught in a trap.The rabbit is a harmless animal generally associated with innocence.

  

                           The opening line of the poem.

              "I hear a sudden cry of pain" tells us that the poet is a very sensitive person who pays his attention to what is happening arround him.Althoug the poet says that "There is a rabbit in a snare" he does not see the animal.He sees the animal only in his imagination.The line "That I cannot tell from where" proves this fact.The poet realises that it is a rabbit and keeps searching everywhere.He tries to rescue the animal from danger because He thinks that the animal is calling for aid.

                     "Crying in the frightened air

                     Making everything afraid"

             

Theme : Cruelty to anomals.

Techniques : Imaginary (Both auditory and visual)

                   Repition

                   Simple Language

Rhyme Pattern : Regular rhyme pattern - abab (except in the last verse )

               Rhyming Words

                   pain - again

                   where - air

                   face - place

                   snare - where

                   aid - afraid