Stanza 1: It was a hot day in June and the poet’s mother sees a bear dancing at the schoolyard to the tunes being played on a whistle pipe by the keeper. The keeper held the chains and bar to control the bear.
Stanza 2: All the children enjoyed the show put up by the bear. It lifted its feet up in the air and made poses in the heat.
Stanza 3: The bear had several tricks up its sleeve. It acted as it died for the Queen, it marched and also did somersaults. All these acts were witnessed by the children.
Stanza 4: Once the act was over, the keeper went around the crowd with the bear and a begging cup. This brought the laughter to a stop.
Stanza 5: Everyone gave a penny to the keeper but it was not for the antics of the bear. It was for the longing for forests and snow that they saw within the bear’s eyes.
