The Jaguar, by Ted Hughes

In The Jaguar the first two verses are used to describe the zoo in which the animal resides. He slowly builds up to the Jaguar by describing the docile animals around and creating the atmosphere of almost unsettling stillness. He emphasises this disturbing aspect of the zoo with similes such as 'parrots shriek as if they were on fire' and " strut like cheap tarts". This builds visual imagery in the audience's mind as it emphasizes …

…of thought as elusive, of nature as untameable. The jaguar's imaginative journey has taken it away from its captivity and has carried the crowd on an imaginative journey with it. It shows to the reader that the power of imagination is able to dissolve any physical boundaries as long as one dares to dream and envision, and that the mind allows one to reach places on a level that surpasses any barrier, obstacle or limit.