Similes in PoetrySimiles in Poetry

Find the similes in the Find the similes in the following poems.following poems.

The Black SnakeThe Black Snake

By Mary OliverBy Mary Oliver

When the black snake When the black snake

flashed onto the morning road, flashed onto the morning road,

and the truck could not swerve --- and the truck could not swerve ---

deathdeath, that is how it happens., that is how it happens.

Now he lies looped and useless Now he lies looped and useless

as an old bicycle tire. as an old bicycle tire.

I stop the car I stop the car

and carry him into the bushes.and carry him into the bushes.

He is as cool and gleaming He is as cool and gleaming

as a braided whip, he is as beautiful and as a braided whip, he is as beautiful and quiet quiet

as a dead brother. as a dead brother.

I leave him under the leaves.I leave him under the leaves.

When the black snake When the black snake

flashed onto the morning road, flashed onto the morning road,

and the truck could not swerve --- and the truck could not swerve ---

deathdeath, that is how it happens., that is how it happens.

Now he lies looped and useless as an old bicycle tire.

I stop the car I stop the car

and carry him into the bushes.and carry him into the bushes.

He is as cool and gleaming He is as cool and gleaming

as a braided whip, he is as beautiful and as a braided whip, he is as beautiful and quiet quiet

as a dead brother. as a dead brother.

I leave him under the leaves.I leave him under the leaves.

When the black snake When the black snake

flashed onto the morning road, flashed onto the morning road,

and the truck could not swerve --- and the truck could not swerve ---

deathdeath, that is how it happens., that is how it happens.

Now he lies looped and useless as an old bicycle tire.

I stop the car I stop the car

and carry him into the bushes.and carry him into the bushes.

He is as cool and gleaming as a braided whip, he is as beautiful and he is as beautiful and

quiet quiet

as a dead brother. as a dead brother.

I leave him under the leaves.I leave him under the leaves.

When the black snake When the black snake

flashed onto the morning road, flashed onto the morning road,

and the truck could not swerve --- and the truck could not swerve ---

deathdeath, that is how it happens., that is how it happens.

Now he lies looped and useless as an old bicycle tire.

I stop the car I stop the car

and carry him into the bushes.and carry him into the bushes.

He is as cool and gleaming as a braided whip, he is as beautiful and

quiet as a dead brother.

I leave him under the leaves.I leave him under the leaves.

The Meadow MouseThe Meadow Mouse

By Theodore RoethkeBy Theodore Roethke

In a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stockingIn a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stocking

Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,

Where he trembled and shook beneath a stickWhere he trembled and shook beneath a stick

Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,

Cradled in my hand,Cradled in my hand,

A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,

His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-mouse,mouse,

His feet like small leaves,His feet like small leaves,

Little lizard-feet,Little lizard-feet,

Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle away,away,

Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.

Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough---drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough---

So much he just lies in one corner,So much he just lies in one corner,

His tail curled under him, his belly bigHis tail curled under him, his belly big

As his head; his bat-like earsAs his head; his bat-like ears

Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.

Do I imagine he no longer tremblesDo I imagine he no longer trembles

When I come close to him?When I come close to him?

He seems no longer to tremble.He seems no longer to tremble.

But this morning the shoe-box house on the back But this morning the shoe-box house on the back porch is empty. porch is empty.

Where has he gone, my meadow mouse,Where has he gone, my meadow mouse,

My thumb of a child that nuzzled in my palm?---My thumb of a child that nuzzled in my palm?---

To run under the hawk’s wing,To run under the hawk’s wing,

Under the eye of the great owl watching from the Under the eye of the great owl watching from the elm-tree,elm-tree,

To live by courtesy of the shrike, the snake, the tom-To live by courtesy of the shrike, the snake, the tom-cat.cat.

I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass,I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass,

The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway,The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway,

The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water rising, ---rising, ---

All things innocent, hapless, forsaken.All things innocent, hapless, forsaken.

In a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stockingIn a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stocking

Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,

Where he trembled and shook beneath a stickWhere he trembled and shook beneath a stick

Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,

Cradled in my hand,Cradled in my hand,

A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,

His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-mouse,mouse,

His feet like small leaves,His feet like small leaves,

Little lizard-feet,Little lizard-feet,

Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle away,away,

Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.

In a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stockingIn a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stocking

Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,

Where he trembled and shook beneath a stickWhere he trembled and shook beneath a stick

Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,

Cradled in my hand,Cradled in my hand,

A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-

mouse,,

His feet like small leaves,His feet like small leaves,

Little lizard-feet,Little lizard-feet,

Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle away,away,

Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.

In a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stockingIn a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stocking

Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,

Where he trembled and shook beneath a stickWhere he trembled and shook beneath a stick

Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,

Cradled in my hand,Cradled in my hand,

A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-

mouse,,His feet like small leaves,

Little lizard-feet,Little lizard-feet,

Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle away,away,

Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.

In a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stockingIn a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stocking

Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,

Where he trembled and shook beneath a stickWhere he trembled and shook beneath a stick

Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,

Cradled in my hand,Cradled in my hand,

A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-

mouse,,His feet like small leaves,

Little lizard-feet,Little lizard-feet,

Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle away,away,

Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.

In a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stockingIn a shoe box stuffed in an old nylon stocking

Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,Sleeps the baby mouse I found in the meadow,

Where he trembled and shook beneath a stickWhere he trembled and shook beneath a stick

Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,Till I caught him up by the tail and brought him in,

Cradled in my hand,Cradled in my hand,A little quaker, the whole body of him trembling,, the whole body of him trembling,His absurd whiskers sticking out like a cartoon-

mouse,,His feet like small leaves,Little lizard-feet,

Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle Whitish and spread wide when he tried to struggle away,away,

Wriggling like a minuscule puppy.

Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough---drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough---

So much he just lies in one corner,So much he just lies in one corner,

His tail curled under him, his belly bigHis tail curled under him, his belly big

As his head; his bat-like earsAs his head; his bat-like ears

Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.

Do I imagine he no longer tremblesDo I imagine he no longer trembles

When I come close to him?When I come close to him?

He seems no longer to tremble.He seems no longer to tremble.

Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough---drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough---

So much he just lies in one corner,So much he just lies in one corner,

His tail curled under him, His tail curled under him, his belly bigAs his head; his bat-like ears his bat-like ears

Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.

Do I imagine he no longer tremblesDo I imagine he no longer trembles

When I come close to him?When I come close to him?

He seems no longer to tremble.He seems no longer to tremble.

Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and Now he’s eaten his three kinds of cheese and drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough---drunk from his bottle-cap watering-trough---

So much he just lies in one corner,So much he just lies in one corner,

His tail curled under him, His tail curled under him, his belly bigAs his head; his bat-like ears

Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.Twitching, tilting toward the least sound.

Do I imagine he no longer tremblesDo I imagine he no longer trembles

When I come close to him?When I come close to him?

He seems no longer to tremble.He seems no longer to tremble.

But this morning the shoe-box house on the back But this morning the shoe-box house on the back porch is empty. porch is empty.

Where has he gone, my meadow mouse,Where has he gone, my meadow mouse,

My thumb of a child that nuzzled in my palm?---My thumb of a child that nuzzled in my palm?---

To run under the hawk’s wing,To run under the hawk’s wing,

Under the eye of the great owl watching from the Under the eye of the great owl watching from the elm-tree,elm-tree,

To live by courtesy of the shrike, the snake, the tom-To live by courtesy of the shrike, the snake, the tom-cat.cat.

I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass,I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass,

The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway,The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway,

The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water rising, ---rising, ---

All things innocent, hapless, forsaken.All things innocent, hapless, forsaken.

But this morning the shoe-box house on the back But this morning the shoe-box house on the back porch is empty. porch is empty.

Where has he gone, my meadow mouse,Where has he gone, my meadow mouse,

My My thumb of a child that nuzzled in my palm?--- that nuzzled in my palm?---

To run under the hawk’s wing,To run under the hawk’s wing,

Under the eye of the great owl watching from the Under the eye of the great owl watching from the elm-tree,elm-tree,

To live by courtesy of the shrike, the snake, the tom-To live by courtesy of the shrike, the snake, the tom-cat.cat.

I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass,I think of the nestling fallen into the deep grass,

The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway,The turtle gasping in the dusty rubble of the highway,

The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water The paralytic stunned in the tub, and the water rising, ---rising, ---

All things innocent, hapless, forsaken.All things innocent, hapless, forsaken.

miss rosiemiss rosie

By Lucille CliftonBy Lucille Clifton

when I watch youwhen I watch you

wrapped up like garbagewrapped up like garbage

sitting, surrounded by the smellsitting, surrounded by the smell

of too old potato peelsof too old potato peels

oror

when I watch you when I watch you

in your old man’s shoesin your old man’s shoes

with the little toe cut outwith the little toe cut out

sitting, waiting for your mindsitting, waiting for your mind

like next week’s grocerieslike next week’s groceries

I sayI say

when I watch you when I watch you

you wet brown bag of a womanyou wet brown bag of a woman

who used to be the best looking gal in georgiawho used to be the best looking gal in georgia

used to be called the Georgia Roseused to be called the Georgia Rose

I stand upI stand up

through your destructionthrough your destruction

I stand up I stand up

when I watch youwhen I watch youwrapped up like garbage

sitting, surrounded by the smellsitting, surrounded by the smell

of too old potato peelsof too old potato peels

oror

when I watch you when I watch you

in your old man’s shoesin your old man’s shoes

with the little toe cut outwith the little toe cut out

sitting, waiting for your mindsitting, waiting for your mind

like next week’s grocerieslike next week’s groceries

I sayI say

when I watch you when I watch you

you wet brown bag of a womanyou wet brown bag of a woman

who used to be the best looking gal in georgiawho used to be the best looking gal in georgia

used to be called the Georgia Roseused to be called the Georgia Rose

I stand upI stand up

through your destructionthrough your destruction

I stand up I stand up

when I watch youwhen I watch youwrapped up like garbage

sitting, surrounded by the smellsitting, surrounded by the smell

of too old potato peelsof too old potato peels

oror

when I watch you when I watch you

in your old man’s shoesin your old man’s shoes

with the little toe cut outwith the little toe cut out

sitting, sitting, waiting for your mindlike next week’s groceries

I sayI say

when I watch you when I watch you

you wet brown bag of a womanyou wet brown bag of a woman

who used to be the best looking gal in georgiawho used to be the best looking gal in georgia

used to be called the Georgia Roseused to be called the Georgia Rose

I stand upI stand up

through your destructionthrough your destruction

I stand up I stand up

when I watch youwhen I watch youwrapped up like garbage

sitting, surrounded by the smellsitting, surrounded by the smell

of too old potato peelsof too old potato peels

oror

when I watch you when I watch you

in your old man’s shoesin your old man’s shoes

with the little toe cut outwith the little toe cut out

sitting, sitting, waiting for your mindlike next week’s groceries

I sayI say

when I watch you when I watch you you wet brown bag of a woman

who used to be the best looking gal in georgiawho used to be the best looking gal in georgia

used to be called the Georgia Roseused to be called the Georgia Rose

I stand upI stand up

through your destructionthrough your destruction

I stand up I stand up

Answer the following Answer the following questions:questions:

1.1. What three similes does Mary Oliver use in What three similes does Mary Oliver use in her poem, “The Black Snake”?her poem, “The Black Snake”?

2.2. Rewrite one of the similes as a metaphor.Rewrite one of the similes as a metaphor.

3.3. How does Roethke deviate from the typical How does Roethke deviate from the typical usage of a simile in the second stanza?usage of a simile in the second stanza?

4.4. Give an example of a metaphor in Roethke ‘s Give an example of a metaphor in Roethke ‘s poem.poem.

5.5. Clifton also uses similes and metaphors in Clifton also uses similes and metaphors in her poem, “miss rosie.” What image of Miss her poem, “miss rosie.” What image of Miss Rosie do they convey?Rosie do they convey?

Answer the following Answer the following questions:questions:

1.1. What three similes does Mary Oliver use in What three similes does Mary Oliver use in her poem, “The Black Snake”? Explain each. her poem, “The Black Snake”? Explain each.

2.2. Rewrite each of the similes as metaphors.Rewrite each of the similes as metaphors.

3.3. How does Roethke deviate from the typical How does Roethke deviate from the typical usage of a simile in the second stanza?usage of a simile in the second stanza?

4.4. Give an example of a metaphor in Roethke ‘s Give an example of a metaphor in Roethke ‘s poem.poem.

5.5. Clifton also uses similes and metaphors in Clifton also uses similes and metaphors in her poem, “miss rosie.” Identify each simile her poem, “miss rosie.” Identify each simile and metaphor and explain what they mean.and metaphor and explain what they mean.

6.6. What image of Miss Rosie do they convey?What image of Miss Rosie do they convey?

Honors

Write a Simile PoemWrite a Simile Poem

Write a poem about an animal Write a poem about an animal or a person.or a person. It must be at least three It must be at least three stanza’s long.stanza’s long. Each stanza must include at Each stanza must include at least four lines and one simile.least four lines and one simile.

Write a Simile PoemWrite a Simile Poem

Write a poem about a memory of an Write a poem about a memory of an animal or person.animal or person. It must be at least three stanza’s It must be at least three stanza’s long.long. Each stanza must include at least Each stanza must include at least four lines and one simile.four lines and one simile.Also, include at least one metaphor in Also, include at least one metaphor in the poem.the poem.

Honors