"Your World" Poem Analysis

Throughout this poem, the poet uses an extended metaphor in which the speaker compares herself to a(n) __________.

• airplane

• bird

• ocean

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

In lines 2-4, the speaker says “ . . . I used to abide/In the narrowest nest in a corner,/My wings pressing close to my side.” Try acting out these lines: Stand by yourself in a corner or a small space and press your wings (your arms) close to your sides. How did doing this make you feel?

• Confined and restricted

• Energized and inspired

• Relaxed and at peace

• Indifferent and neutral

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RL.8.4

What do you think the speaker is saying in lines 2-4 about the way she used to live her life?

• She used to live life without any problems

• She used to live life without any excitement

• She used to live life in a limited or narrow way

• She used to live life without any ambition

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

Consider the word encircled in line 6. What do you think the speaker means when she says that “the skyline encircled the sea”?

• The skyline is hidden by the sea

• The skyline is in front of the sea

• The skyline forms a circle around the sea

• The skyline is above the sea

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RI.7.4

CCSS.RI.8.4

How does what the speaker describes in the second stanza compare with what she describes in the first stanza? Is it similar or very different?

• Similar

• Very different

• A mixture of both

• Unrelated

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.5

CCSS.RI.7.7

CCSS.RI.8.7

CCSS.RL.6.9

CCSS.RL.7.7

What idea do you think the speaker is expressing in the second stanza about how she wants to live her life?

• She wants to live life in a limited or narrow way

• She wants to experience the vastness and freedom of the world

• She wants to live life without any ambition

• She wants to find companionship

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.6.4

In your own words, describe what the speaker is describing in the third stanza. a. First, explain what the poem literally describes: what the bird did.

• The bird sings a beautiful song

• The bird broke free from limitations, cradled its wings on the breeze, then soared to the uttermost reaches with power and ease

• The bird flew away from the horizon

• The bird landed on the ground and rested

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.6.4

b. Now explain what the metaphor means. In other words, what is the human being who is the speaker of the poem saying that she did?

• The human being is saying that she sang a beautiful song

• The human being is saying that she broke free from personal limitations and embarked on a journey of personal growth and self-discovery

• The human being is saying that she flew away from the horizon

• The human being is saying that she landed on the ground and rested

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.6.4

The poem is not literally about fighting lions, yet the speaker never reveals what the task ahead of her is. Why might the poet have made this choice?

• To make the poem more confusing

• To make the poem easier to understand

• To leave the task open-ended, allowing readers to apply their own personal challenges or goals to the poem's message

• To demonstrate the speaker's bravery in facing a difficult task

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.10

CCSS.RL.8.5

Consider the poem’s title. a. In your own words, what does it mean to be brave? Do you think it requires more bravery to do something that you feel confident about or something that you do not feel confident about?

• Being brave means acting confidently even when you do not feel confident, and it requires more bravery to do something that you do not feel confident about.

• Being brave means acting confidently only when you feel confident, and it requires more bravery to do something that you feel confident about.

• Being brave means acting confidently only when you feel confident, and it requires more bravery to do something that you do not feel confident about.

• Being brave means acting confidently even when you feel confident, and it requires more bravery to do something that you feel confident about.

Tags

CCSS.RL.7.4

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.6.4

CCSS.RL.8.4