What are the poetic device used in the poem "Kitten at Play"?
Answers
1. Symbolism- On reading between the lines, one observes that there is more to be seen than the kitten playing with the leaves. The poet has focused on the priorities and power that the cat possessed when attacking the leaves. The “cat” symbolizes the reader (poet has used the pronoun ‘she’ in place of ‘it’) and the “leaves” are a symbol for the goals we set for ourselves and the challenges we face in real life.
2. Hyperbole- Exaggeration or over-statement of ideas for the sake of emphasis. For example-My grandmother is as old as the hill. Your school bag weighs a ton.
“With a tiger-leap, halfway” is used to expand on the kitten’s power and grace as she makes her move towards attacking the leaves.
3. Simile- A figure of speech that makes a comparison by showing similarity between two things. It uses words ‘as’ or ‘like’. For example- as white as snow, as red as a rose, as brave as a lion.
“Like an Indian conjuror” is used to draw a comparison with an adept (or expert) multi-tasking magician who could juggle several balls or knives simultaneously. In the same way, the cat was playing with several leaves at a time.