CBSE Class 7 English Honeycomb: The Squirrel Poem NCERT Solutions

The poet uses the phrase "wore a question mark for the tail" to create a vivid image of the squirrel's tail. Squirrels often hold their bushy tails curved over their backs, which resembles the shape of a question mark (?). This figurative language helps the reader visualize the squirrel's appearance more clearly. If you observe a squirrel or its picture, you'll notice its tail is often upright and curled, making this comparison apt and imaginative.

Typically, we say that an animal 'has' a tail, rather than 'wears' one. The word 'wear' is usually associated with clothing or accessories that a person puts on. However, poets often use words in creative ways to evoke specific images or feelings. In this poem, the poet uses 'wore' to personify the squirrel and to emphasize how the tail is a prominent and distinctive feature, much like an item of clothing or jewelry that someone 'wears'.

The word 'wear' can be used in various contexts:

• Wearing clothes: "My friend was wearing a blue shirt yesterday."
• Displaying an expression: "She always wears a smile on her face."
• Having a particular style: "The celebrity wears her hair in a long braid."

By using 'wore' for the tail, the poet makes the description more poetic and memorable.

In this line, the squirrel is teasing the poet and his friends. The poem describes the squirrel's playful nature. When the poet and his friends try to get closer or perhaps run around the tree where the squirrel is, the squirrel playfully evades them by running in the opposite direction. This act of running away when approached is the way the squirrel teases them, keeping them engaged in a game of chase without ever letting them catch it.