The Armadillo

Bishop creates a strong sense of place by developing descriptions of a local festival, as well as the local flora and fauna (plants and animals). The festival, Festa Junina (June Festival), celebrates saints, such as St. John the Baptist (See: Background). This saint is “still honored in these parts” (Line 6). The location—“these parts”—is central to the poem. The poem was originally published in The New Yorker, which is a magazine from North America. Bishop gives North American readers a glimpse into life in South America, specifically Brazil. The festival includes daily fireworks, and Bishop focuses on “illegal fire balloons” (Line 3) used throughout the month of June. These have an impact on the local wildlife.

In addition to human inhabitants of Brazil celebrating St. John, Bishop describes the local plant and animal life, including the titular armadillo. The sense of place is developed through geographical features, such as “mountain height” (Line 4) and “cliff behind the house” (Line 23). The mountain is home to several different kinds of animals, including owls, armadillos, and rabbits. The adjective used to describe the owls—“ancient” (Line 29)—can be contrasted with the adjective used to describe the rabbit—“baby” (Line 33). The inhabitants of the mountain are young and old and have lived there for many generations.