The poem “The Bull Moose” by Alden Nowlan is about a creature that is both feared and respected. The speaker in the poem shows how the moose is seen as a symbol of strength, but also how it can be dangerous. The poem ends with the idea that we should all learn from the moose, and take its lessons to heart.
Alden Nowlan’s “The Bull Moose” is a finely wrought poem that reminds us how far man has strayed from nature. Nowlan laments, in true Romantic fashion, man’s estrangement from Nature through a carefully constructed sequence of antithetical images. The old moose’s strength is amazing. He makes his death march at breakneck speed, staggering and stumbling towards the fence-lined pasture – the limits of civilization. A group of men and women forms quickly, as well as an elderly crowd and a youthful one – all notable for their lack of compassion and respect.
The poem’s speaker is the only one who sees the old bull moose as “majestic”. The rest see only a “gaudy wreck”, a “clumsy joke”, an object to be laughed at and poked fun at. Even the children are unimpressed, more interested in playing with their toys than in witnessing a dying creature. The speaker tries to get them to see the beauty in the old moose, but it is too late; they have already been tainted by civilization and its callousness.
The poem ends on a note of hope, however. The speaker says that he will never forget the old bull moose, and as long as he remembers him, the moose will live on. In this way, the poem becomes a celebration of life, in spite of death. It is a reminder that there is still hope, as long as we remember the beauty and majesty of Nature.
Disrespecting this moose by misidentifying him with one of their domesticated animals, such as cattle or collie or castrated moose or ox, they fail to recognize his nobility and ancient wisdom as “the purple mist of the trees.” When men “pry open his jaws with bottles” and “pour beer down his throat,” the scene becomes obscene. The thistles crown emphasizes the helplessness and horror inflicted by these laughing and giggling clowns. But this moose is no grinning stuffed animal.
The poem suggests that moose are actually quite dangerous, and “ The Bull Moose” in particular is a “killer. ” The men who ride him and pull his antlers are playing with fire. The moose will have his revenge: “And some day he will kill them / Maybe not today or tomorrow / But one day for certain.” The poem ends on a note of menace and foreboding, suggesting that the natural world will eventually even the score against humankind’s thoughtless violence.
Alden Nowlan’s poem “The Bull Moose” is a powerful indictment of humanity’s mistreatment of nature. The poem describes a group of men who have captured a wild moose and are treating it like a pet, poking and prodding it for their own amusement. The moose is clearly uncomfortable and distressed, but the men are oblivious to his suffering. The poem ends with a warning that the natural world will eventually take revenge on humans for their mistreatment of nature. This is a powerful message that still resonates today.
This king of the spruce, cedar, and tamarack, who dwells outside the confines of civilization, meets his craven murderers with implacable might. The thunderous roar of this magnificent horned old “blood god” clashes sharply with the feeble and cowardly whines of automobile horns. Nowlan’s compassion for the moose and hatred for humanity are powerfully conveyed in a natural free verse. This poem urged me to question my patronizing attitude toward nature.
Alden Nowlan (1933-1983) was a Canadian poet and writer from Nova Scotia. The Bull Moose is one of his most famous poems. The poem was published in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, a novel by Sherman Alexie. The poem is about the mistreatment of animals, specifically the moose. The protagonist of the poem is the moose, who is seen as a powerful and majestic creature. The moose is killed by humans, who are seen as weak and cowardly. The poem argues that humans need to respect nature and the creatures that live in it.
Perhaps we cut ourselves off from those qualities that make us genuinely human by fencing ourselves in. Teacher Comments: This essay attempts to be succinct, which means it tries to say as much as possible in the fewest words feasible. Brevity may be the soul of humor, but brevity alone is meaningless if there is no richness present. A pithy essay aims to elicit this sense of high-speed reading. The danger of being too concise is that a poor reader may not read thoroughly enough to pick up on everything that’s stated and implied.
The danger for the writer is that an essay that sacrifices content for conciseness may come across as superficial. The solution to this problem is to always read your essay aloud to make sure that it has a musical quality, that it sings. The best essays are like good songs: they can be listened to over and over again without becoming dull.
The Bull Moose was written by Alden Nowlan in 1969. The poem is about how humans tend to fence themselves in and shut themselves away from the qualities necessary to make them truly human. The speaker worries that by doing this, we may lose sight of what makes us unique and special.
The poem is filled with images of animals and nature, which help to illustrate the point that the speaker is trying to make. The poem is filled with allusions to mythology and popular culture, which help to add depth and richness to the poem. The Bull Moose is a well-written poem that is sure to leave a lasting impression on its readers.
