Author’s Purpose in Poetry Quiz

Which TWO of the following statements are true about poems?

• Poems often use figurative language to express ideas and emotions.

• Poems must always rhyme and have a fixed rhythm.

• A stanza in a poem is equivalent to a paragraph in prose.

• Every line in a poem must form a complete sentence.

Tags

CCSS.L.8.5A

CCSS.RL.8.4

1. “A Birthday”

   A poem by Christina Rossetti

   
   

   1 My heart is like a singing bird   

     2 Whose nest is in a water'd shoot;   

   3 My heart is like an apple-tree   

     4 Whose boughs are bent with thick-set fruit;   

   5 My heart is like a rainbow shell 

      6 That paddles in a halcyon sea;   

    7 My heart is gladder than all these,   

      8 Because my love is come to me.   

   
   

   9 Raise me a daïs of silk and down;   

     10 Hang it with vair and purple dyes;

   11 Carve it in doves and pomegranates,   

   12 And peacocks with a hundred eyes;   

   13 Work it in gold and silver grapes,   

     14 In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;   

   15 Because the birthday of my life

    16 Is come, my love is come to me.

   
   

2. How does the author’s use of language contribute to its tone?

• It creates a tone of joy and merriment.

• It establishes a tone of indifference.

• It conveys a tone of sadness and loss.

• It communicates a tone of confusion and uncertainty.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.4

“A Birthday”

A poem by Christina Rossetti

1 My heart is like a singing bird   

  2 Whose nest is in a water'd shoot;   

3 My heart is like an apple-tree   

  4 Whose boughs are bent with thick-set fruit;   

5 My heart is like a rainbow shell 

   6 That paddles in a halcyon sea;   

 7 My heart is gladder than all these,   

   8 Because my love is come to me.   

9 Raise me a daïs of silk and down;   

  10 Hang it with vair and purple dyes;

11 Carve it in doves and pomegranates,   

12 And peacocks with a hundred eyes;   

13 Work it in gold and silver grapes,   

  14 In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;   

15 Because the birthday of my life

 16 Is come, my love is come to me.

Based on the details in the poem, the reader can conclude -

• The speaker is immersed in overwhelming bliss and elation.

• The speaker is submerged in profound melancholy.

• The speaker maintains an aloof and detached stance.

• The speaker is engulfed in despair.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.4

“A Birthday”

A poem by Christina Rossetti

1 My heart is like a singing bird   

  2 Whose nest is in a water'd shoot;   

3 My heart is like an apple-tree   

  4 Whose boughs are bent with thick-set fruit;   

5 My heart is like a rainbow shell 

   6 That paddles in a halcyon sea;   

 7 My heart is gladder than all these,   

   8 Because my love is come to me.   

9 Raise me a daïs of silk and down;   

  10 Hang it with vair and purple dyes;

11 Carve it in doves and pomegranates,   

12 And peacocks with a hundred eyes;   

13 Work it in gold and silver grapes,   

  14 In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;   

15 Because the birthday of my life

 16 Is come, my love is come to me.

The title of the poem is effective because it suggests that the speaker -

• believes that the caged bird is content in its situation.

• is overwhelmed by the complexities of life.

• sympathizes with the caged bird’s struggle and suffering.

• is experiencing a tragic event.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.4

1 "My heart is like a singing bird"

What is the most likely reason the poet included the details in the first line of the poem, “A Birthday”?

• To convey the speaker closely guards her emotions from other people.

• To acknowledge the speaker is concerned primarily with honoring animals.

• To emphasize the speaker wants to express her emotions through music.

• To suggest the speaker is elated about a significant event in her life.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.4

9. 9 Raise me a daïs of silk and down;   

  10 Hang it with vair and purple dyes;

11 Carve it in doves and pomegranates,   

12 And peacocks with a hundred eyes;   

13 Work it in gold and silver grapes,   

  14 In leaves and silver fleurs-de-lys;   

15 Because the birthday of my life

 16 Is come, my love is come to me

The poet uses lines 9 through 16 to establish that -

• the speaker desires a simple and modest celebration.

• the speaker values materialistic and extravagant displays.

• the speaker is indifferent to celebrations and festivities.

• the speaker appreciates the beauty of nature and natural elements.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.4

“Sympathy”

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!

    When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;   

When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,   

And the river flows like a stream of glass;

    When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,   

And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—

I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing

    Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;   

For he must fly back to his perch and cling   

When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;

    And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars   

And they pulse again with a keener sting—

I know why he beats his wing!

What is the most likely reason the poet wrote “Sympathy?”

• To convey the emotional and physical pain experienced by a caged bird.

• To emphasize the speaker wants to express her emotions through music.

• To suggest the speaker is elated about a significant event in her life.

• To acknowledge the speaker is concerned primarily with honoring animals.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

“Sympathy”

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!

    When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;   

When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,   

And the river flows like a stream of glass;

    When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,   

And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—

I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing

    Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;   

For he must fly back to his perch and cling   

When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;

    And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars   

And they pulse again with a keener sting—

I know why he beats his wing!

How does the author 's use of language contribute to it's tone?

• It conveys an assertive and triumphant tone of defiance.

• It relays an element of optimism vividly describing the wonders of birds.

• It creates a sense of melancholy and empathy for the bird's plight.

• It communicates a whimsical feeling emphasizing the beauty of tone.

Tags

CCSS.L.8.5A

CCSS.RL.8.4

“Sympathy”

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!

    When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;   

When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,   

And the river flows like a stream of glass;

    When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,   

And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—

I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing

    Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;   

For he must fly back to his perch and cling   

When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;

    And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars   

And they pulse again with a keener sting—

I know why he beats his wing!

The title of the poem is effective because it suggest that the speaker-

• admires the beauty of the caged bird.

• Understands the reasons behind the caged bird's actions.

• Sympathizes with the caged bird's struggles and suffering.

• Believes that the caged bird is content in it's situation.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.W.8.9A

“Sympathy”

by Paul Laurence Dunbar

I know what the caged bird feels, alas!

    When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;   

When the wind stirs soft through the springing grass,   

And the river flows like a stream of glass;

    When the first bird sings and the first bud opes,   

And the faint perfume from its chalice steals—

I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing

    Till its blood is red on the cruel bars;   

For he must fly back to his perch and cling   

When he fain would be on the bough a-swing;

    And a pain still throbs in the old, old scars   

And they pulse again with a keener sting—

I know why he beats his wing!

Based on the details in the poem, the reader can conclude,

• The caged bird’s suffering is temporary, and it finds solace in its captivity.

• 1. The caged bird's captivity serves as a metaphor for the broader struggle for civil rights.

• 1. The caged bird's song is a joyful expression, reflecting contentment within its confinement.

• Believes that the caged bird is content in it's situation.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.W.8.9A