Exploring human relationships with animals through poetry

‘The Song of the Whale’ was written by Kit Wright in 1982. Whales face a multitude of threats from humans, which include hunting, pollution and captivity in zoos and water parks. ‘The Panther’ was written by Rainer Maria Rilke between 1902 and 1903; it describes a captive panther behind bars. Themes of captivity and freedom can be found in both poems. We can compare and contrast poems with similar themes or messages, noticing the impact that they have on us as readers.