About the Poet: Carolyn Wells (1862–1942) was an American writer known for her humorous verse, mystery novels, and comic writing. She had a gift for light verse — poetry that is intentionally funny, witty, and not meant to be taken seriously. 'How to Tell Wild Animals' is a classic example of her absurdist humor.

The poem's humor lies in its absurdist premise: the safest way to identify wild animals is apparently to be attacked by them. Each stanza follows a pattern: describe the animal, describe what happens when you encounter it (usually being eaten or mauled), and conclude that if this happens to you, you've successfully identified the species.

Stanza 1 — Asian Lion: If a large, tawny beast roars with deafening sounds and devours you, it is the Asian Lion. Stanza 2 — Bengal Tiger: If a creature with black stripes on a yellow background starts to eat you, it is the Bengal Tiger. The poem notes you can tell the leopard from the tiger because the leopard has spots. Stanza 3 — Bear: A bear hugs you so hard you die — this is how you identify a bear. Stanza 4 — Hyena: The hyena smiles. Stanza 5 — Crocodile: If you are weeping while being eaten, check — the crocodile is weeping too. 'Crocodile tears' (fake tears). Stanza 6 — Chameleon: The chameleon has no ears or wings and changes color. This is the one harmless animal — though the poem finds it confusing too.

Stanza 1 — Asian Lion: 'If ever you should chance to meet / A large and tawny beast / That roars at you — once, twice, thrice — / And eats you...' The humor is in the deadpan, matter-of-fact tone. Being eaten alive is presented as simply a method of identification. 'Tawny' (light brownish-yellow) is the identifying color.

Stanza 2 — Bengal Tiger: The tiger has black stripes on yellow. The poem says if it eats you with joyful zest — that's the Bengal Tiger. The distinction between the tiger and the leopard (spots vs. stripes) is the poem's nod to actual zoology.

Stanza 3 — Bear: A bear 'hugs' you so tightly you cannot breathe. The poem uses 'hug' euphemistically for a deadly bear attack — a fine example of dark humor. You'll know it's a bear 'if you survive the test.'

Stanza 4 — Hyena: If an animal smiles at you while doing terrible things — it's a hyena. The hyena's 'laughing' expression is a well-known characteristic.

Stanza 5 — Crocodile: 'Crocodile tears' — the crocodile is famous for crying while eating its prey (supposedly). If you're sobbing while being eaten and the creature is also weeping, it's a crocodile. A brilliant joke about the idiom.

Stanza 6 — Chameleon: The only harmless animal in the poem. The chameleon has no ears, no wings, and changes color. The stanza is gentler in tone — identification by observation rather than by being attacked.

1. Absurdist Humour: The poem's primary mode is absurdist comedy — presenting deadly danger in a light, instructive tone. The gap between the calm, advisory voice and the horrifying content creates the humor.

2. Satire of Scientific Writing: Wells is gently mocking the pompous, dry tone of zoological field guides and nature writing, which describe animal behavior with complete detachment. By applying this tone to the experience of being eaten, she exposes how absurd that detachment can seem.

3. Wordplay and Idiom: The poem makes clever use of animal idioms — 'crocodile tears,' the bear 'hug,' the hyena's 'smile.' Each idiomatic use becomes a joke when applied literally.

1. Humour/Irony: The entire poem is built on the irony of using dangerous situations as identification methods.

2. Understatement: Being eaten is described with extreme calm — 'If he should chance to eat you' — massively understating a deadly situation.

3. Rhyme (AABB): The cheerful rhyming couplets create a light, nursery-rhyme feel that contrasts hilariously with the violent content.

4. Personification: Animals are given human emotions — the hyena 'smiles,' the crocodile 'weeps.'

5. Alliteration: 'Bengal Tiger,' 'bear behind,' 'crocodile crying.'