Elements of poetry in "Macavity: The Mystery Cat"
Macavity's a Mystery Cat: he's called the Hidden Paw - A Assonance (a)
For he's the master criminal who can defy the Law. A
He's the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad's despair: B
For when they reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there! B Repetition
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity, C Repetition
He's broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity. C Alliteration (h)
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare, B
And when you reach the scene of crime - Macavity's not there! B Repetition
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air - B
But I tell you once and once again, Macavity's not there! B Repetition
Macavity's a ginger cat, he's very tall and thin; D Alliteration (t)
You would know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken in. D Imagery, Alliteration (h)
His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed; E Imagery, Alliteration (h)
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed. E Imagery
He sways his head from side to side, with movements like a snake; F Imagery, Simile, Alliteration (s)
And when you think he's half asleep, he's always wide awake. F
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity, C Repetition
For he's a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity. C Metaphor
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square - B Assonance (e)
But when a crime's discovered, then Macavity's not there! B Repetition
He's outwardly respectable. (They say he cheats at cards.) G Personification
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard's. G Alliteration (f)
And when the larder's looted, or the jewel-case is rifled, H
Or when the milk is missing, or another Peke's been stifled, H
Or the greenhouse glass is broken, and the trellis past repair - B
Ay, there's the wonder of the thing! Macavity's not there! B Repetition
And when the Foreign Office find a Treaty's gone astray, I Alliteration (f)
Or the Admiralty lose some plans and drawings by the way, I
There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair - B
But it's useless to investigate - Macavity's not there! B Repetition
And when the loss has been disclosed, the Secret Service say: I Alliteration (s)
`It must have been Macavity!' - but he's a mile away. I
You'll be sure to find him resting, or a-licking of his thumbs, J
Or engaged in doing complicated long-division sums. J Personification
Macavity, Macavity, there's no one like Macavity, C Repetition
There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity. C
He always has an alibi, and one or two to spare: B Assonance (a), Personification
At whatever time the deed took place - MACAVITY WASN'T THERE! B
And they say that all the Cats whose wicked deeds are widely known K Alliteration (w)
(I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone) K
Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time L Personification
Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime! L Metaphor
(click term for definition)
1) The rhyme scheme is AABB (Couplets).
2) It describes the cat, and talks about what he does, and how unique he is.
3) Examples of poetic elements are listed above.
4) It is a lyric poem.
5) We chose this poem because we all like cats and most of us have cats. WE also thought it was kind of funny.
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