Grizzlies and Black Bears

Grizzlies and black bears, despite reputations,
Do not always differ in color and size.
Consider more factors. For instance, a grizzly bear’s
Profile is dish-shaped from nose tip to eyes.

A black bear’s goes straight all the way to the forehead.
Its muzzle’s less blunt and less prominent, too.
Its eyes are spread out more and not as deep set.
The gestalt looks more dog-like to me and to you.

The grizzly bear’s ears are more rounded and shorter,
Its fur long and fuzzy, not least on the face.
Its muscular shoulders for digging provide it
A hump; on all fours, that’s the uppermost place.

In contrast, the black bear’s rear end is the acme.
It also has darker and much shorter claws
To break rotten logs when it’s hunting for insects,
As well as climb trees (does the thought give you pause?).

The grizzly’s front feet will leave tracks not as rounded,
With pads whose proportions tend more to be wide.
Now, hunters of black bears, take care which you shoot at.
The rest of us humans would much rather hide.