In the poem 'How to Tell Wild Animals', the poet suggests that one can identify a lion by its majestic appearance and loud roar. If a large, tawny beast roars at you as you are dying, then it is a lion. Similarly, a tiger can be recognized by its black stripes on a yellow coat. According to the poet, you can identify a tiger when it leaps on you and eats you up. The poet humorously implies that recognizing these wild animals happens at the cost of one’s own life, adding a playful tone to the poem.