The Hippopotamus by Hilaire Belloc
This poem is a humorous and satirical take on the hippopotamus's supposed ferocity and its actual habits. It describes the hippopotamus as a fearsome creature that can be found in rivers, but notes that it spends most of its time sleeping or eating grass. The poem also highlights the hippopotamus's tendency to attack humans when surprised or threatened, but ultimately concludes that it is not as ferocious as popularly believed.
By Hilaire Belloc · First published 1907 · Genre: Poetry, Humor, Children's Literature · 33 words
First lines
I shoot the Hippopotamus / with bullets made of platinum, / Because if I use leaden ones / his hide is sure to flatten 'em.
What this Textopian page supports
The Hippopotamus is listed on Textopian as a poem by Hilaire Belloc, dated 1907 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Hilaire Belloc
- Date: 1907 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Humor, Children's Literature, Satire
- Length: 33 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
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- Work identity for The Hippopotamus by Hilaire Belloc
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with rhyme and meter.
- Humor — The poem employs a humorous tone and absurdity in its depiction of shooting a hippopotamus with platinum bullets.
- Children's Literature — The playful language and whimsical subject matter are characteristic of children's literature.
- Satire — The exaggerated scenario may serve as a satirical commentary on human behavior or societal norms.
Tags
Satirical · Poem · Verse · Rhyme · Humor · Animal · Fable · Social Commentary · Critique · Politics · Society · Class