‘Bestiary’ by Kay Ryan is a short, cynical, and witty free verse poem in which the speaker explores the differences between what is good and what is best.
'Bestiary' by Kay Ryan is one of her best-known works, but it pales in comparison to the reliability and emotional appeal of some of her other poems, such as 'Turtle.' However, this poem is more of an introduction that explains the importance of all of Ryan's animal-centered poems, which she deems as her own "best" works.
A bestiary catalogs
bests. The mediocres
both higher and lower
are suppressed in favor
