Terms & Definitions
Define "stanza" and describe its function
A stanza is a group of lines forming a unit in a poem. Like a paragraph in an essay
Who wrote "Poison Tree"?
William Blake.
In "Nothing Gold Can Stay," what is the first line that introduces the poem's central theme of impermanence?
"Nature’s first green is gold."
In "Nothing Gold Can Stay," which figurative device is used in the phrase "Nature’s first green is gold"?
Metaphore
What is the message about change in "Nothing Gold Can Stay"?
Everything beautiful or precious is temporary and must pass away.
What is the difference between literal and figurative meaning?
Literal meaning is surface-level, while figurative language means something deeper.
Which poem did Robert Frost write?
"Nothing Gold Can Stay."
Which line in "The River Cannot Go Back" expresses the idea that life moves forward and cannot return to its past?
"The river cannot go back to its source."
What type of figurative language is present in "Poison Tree" when anger is described as something that grows and bears fruit?
Extended metaphore
What lesson about anger does "Poison Tree" provide?
Suppressed anger grows and can have destructive results.
Describe what makes "Nothing Gold Can Stay" a lyric poem.
It's short, expresses strong personal feelings about beauty and loss, and is written from the poet’s perspective.
Name the poems by Kahlil Gibran in the assignment
The River Cannot Go Back," "House on the Hill," and "Mad Girl's Song."
In "Poison Tree," which line reveals the consequence of nurturing anger instead of expressing it?
"And it grew both day and night."
"The River Cannot Go Back," what figurative device is used to symbolize the irreversible flow of time?
Metaphore
How does "House on the Hill" address the passage of time?
it shows how time causes people to leave and memories to fade.
Explain the purpose of a refrain and identify a poem that uses one.
A refrain is a repeated line or group of lines in a poem, used for emphasis or structure. "House on the Hill" by Kahlil Gibran uses the refrain "They are all gone away."
in "If We Must Die," what animal imagery is used to describe those under attack, and what does this imagery suggest?
The poem uses imagery like "hunted and penned in an inglorious spot" and "mad and hungry dogs" to compare the oppressed people to animals being hunted. This imagery suggests vulnerability, dehumanization, and the brutality of their attackers.
Identify the line in "If We Must Die" that most strongly conveys the poem’s call to courage and resistance.
"If we must die, let it not be like hogs."
In "House on the Hill," how does the villanelle use repetition to enhance the poem’s mood and meaning?
The repeated lines create a haunting mood that emphasizes the inevitability and persistence of memory or loss.
How does "If We Must Die" depict struggle?
It encourages fighting courageously against oppression, even in the face of death.
Explain how the central theme is conveyed in "If We Must Die"
the central theme of resistance and courage is emphasized through its sonnet structure. The poem's figurative language such as "hunted and penned in an inglorious spot" and references to nobly dying
In "The River Cannot Go Back," according to the poem, why can't the river return to its source?
The poem states, "For the river cannot go back" and describes how "it moves forward, and never returns." just like the river, people cannot return to the past or relive earlier moments the movement of life is only forward.
In "Mad Girl’s Love Song," which line best demonstrates the speaker’s struggle between reality and illusion?
"I shut my eyes and all the world drops dead."
Identify and explain the use of metaphor in "If We Must Die" that compares the fight for dignity to a battle against a “hunted and penned” enemy.
The metaphor compares oppressed people to hunted animals trapped and cornered, emphasizing their vulnerability but also their resolve to fight back.
In "Mad Girl’s Love Song," how is the theme of mental struggle between reality and illusion portrayed?
Through the speaker’s conflicting perspectives, highlighting the fragility of the mind.