To A Bully

By Eugene Field

Cinquain
    You, blatant coward that you are,     Upon the helpless vent your spite.     Suppose you ply your trade on me;     Come, monkey with this bard, and see     How I'll repay your bark with bite!     Ay, snarl just once at me, you brute!     And I shall hound you far and wide,     As fiercely as through drifted snow     The shepherd dog pursues what foe     Skulks on the Spartan mountain-side.     The chip is on my shoulder--see?     But touch it and I'll raise your fur;     I'm full of business, so beware!     For, though I'm loaded up for bear,     I'm quite as like to kill a cur!

Share & Analyze This Poem

Spread the beauty of poetry or dive deeper into analysis

Analyze This Poem

Discover the literary devices, structure, and deeper meaning

Create Image

Transform this poem into a beautiful shareable image

Copy to Clipboard

Save this poem for personal use or sharing offline

Share the Love of Poetry
More Poems
More Cinquains
Daily Poem

Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a powerful narrative of defiance and confrontation, spoken from the perspective of the 'bard', the poet. Its theme revolves around standing up against 'the blatant coward' who is depicted as an oppressive force. The tone is aggressive and defiant, conveying the poet’s readiness to confront and retaliate against any form of bullying or oppressive behaviour.

The structure of the poem is traditional, using a consistent rhyme scheme which provides a rhythmic underpinning, enhancing the forceful voice of the speaker. The poet uses animalistic imagery and metaphors to convey the raw, primal conflict between the speaker and the oppressor, likening the latter to a 'brute' and a 'cur'. The poet himself is depicted as a 'shepherd dog', ready to protect and retaliate against the 'foe'. The phrase 'chip on my shoulder' is an effective use of idiom, illustrating the speaker's provocation and readiness to fight back, adding to the overall theme of confrontation.

In summary, the poem is a stirring call to resistance and assertion, using vivid imagery and a consistently defiant tone to portray the speaker's readiness to stand up against oppressive forces. It reflects on the strength of individual will and the power of resilience in the face of adversity.

Understanding Cinquain

A **cinquain** is a five-line poem prized for concentration and clarity. In English, it often follows the American syllabic pattern popularized by Adelaide Crapsey, but there are flexible variants used in classrooms and contemporary practice.

Common approaches and features:

  • Five Lines: The defining feature—compact form encourages vivid images and precise diction.
  • American Cinquain (Syllabic): Typical syllable counts per line: 2  / 4  / 6  / 8  / 2. Variants sometimes use 3/5/7/9/3 or loosen counts slightly.
  • Didactic Cinquain (Parts of Speech): A teaching-friendly pattern: Line 1—one noun; Line 2—two adjectives; Line 3—three verbs/participles; Line 4—a four-word phrase or feeling; Line 5—a synonym/summary noun.
  • Form Variants: Mirror cinquain (5+5 lines, the second in reverse counts), crown cinquain (a sequence of five cinquains), and free-verse adaptations.
  • Tone & Focus: Image-driven, momentary, and distilled—ideal for capturing a scene, object, or flash of insight.
  • Rhyme & Meter: Not required; sound comes from line-length contrast, stress, and strategic repetition.

The cinquain’s small frame invites exactness—each line a step that sharpens the image and lands with a clean, memorable close.