2025 17th Century Poetry

Gregorio H 12 English

What is the message of “Holy Sonnet 10”?

Death can never triumph because faith grants eternal life

“Holy Sonnet 10” can be considered a metaphysical conceit because

an idea is debated by likening it to an arrogant but finally powerless tyrant.

Why is the seemingly contradictory phrase “Death, thou shalt die” actually true within the context of “Holy Sonnet 10”?

After death, a Christian awakes to eternal life.

Which of the following lines from “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” best expresses the carpe diem theme?

“Then be not coy, but use your time . . .”

The rosebuds in the first line of “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” are a symbol of

the joys of youth.

What does the flower symbolize in these lines from “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time”?
And this same flower that smiles today
Tomorrow will be dying.

the length of human life

Which word from “To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time” symbolizes passion and energy?

blood

What is the theme of the excerpt we read from Paradise Lost?

good and evil

Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost expresses values of seventeenth-century Christian England in that it reflects a prevalent belief in

Heaven and H3ll

Which of the following describes the style in which Paradise Lost is written?

unrhymed iambic pentameter

What is the main clause in the following lines from Paradise Lost?
And chiefly thou O Spirit, that dost prefer / Before all temples the upright heart and pure, / Instruct me, for thou know’st . .

Instruct me

The lines “With loss of Eden, till one greater Man / Restore us, and regain the blissful seat” from Paradise Lost allude to the

coming of Christ.

Which of the following lines referring to Satan in Paradise Lost best expresses the conflict between Satan and God?

“He trusted to have equaled the Most High . . .”

By combining Hebrew and Classical (Greek and Roman) elements in Paradise Lost, Milton conveys the message that

Christian values are superior to Hebrew and Classical values

In Milton’s Sonnet XIX, the word light in the line “When I Consider How My Light Is Spent” refers to the poet’s

talent.

What is the theme of Milton’s Sonnet XIX?

One does not have to labor or accomplish great things to serve God.

Which of the following best describes the change in tone between the octave and the sestet of Milton’s Sonnet XIX?

from disturbed to accepting

What is the main clause in the following lines from Paradise Lost?
Fallen Cherub, to be weak is miserable, / Doing or suffering . . . 

to be weak is miserable

In which of the following excerpts does Donne use both the passive and active voices?

“…this bell calls us all; but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness.”

Which phrase has nearly the same meaning as illumine?

light up

Which of the following words or phrases is most nearly opposite in meaning to transgress?

obey

What does the word ignominy mean?

dishonor

What is the antecedent of the pronoun her in the following passage?
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tower,
The moping owl does to the moon complain
Of such as, wandering near her secret bower,
Molest her ancient solitary reign.

owl

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

So that the speaker of the poem may rise and stand, he asks God to do all of the following except

knock him.

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

In line 2, why does the speaker complain of God’s gentleness?

His resistance requires God to be more forceful.

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

Like many other of Donne’s poetical works, this selection is an example of

metaphysical poetry.

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

The rhythms and sentence patterns of the poem’s first four lines signal the speaker’s

passionate attitude about religious faith.

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

According to lines 9–10, what is the speaker’s present condition?

He is wedded to sin.

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

Which is the best description of the poem’s tone?

urgent

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

Lines 3, 13, and 14 are notable for

the paradoxes they contain.

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

Which is the best explanation of the meaning of line 14?

Being ravished—or transformed—by God would be cleansing.

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

Donne’s speaker makes an important comparison between

himself and a “usurped town.”

The questions below are based on the following selection.
This selection is John Donne’s “Holy Sonnet 14.” Donne adresses a “three personed God,” a reference to the Trinity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost
      Holy Sonnet 14 by John Donne
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise, and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn and make me new.
[5]      I, like an usurped town, to another due,
   Labor to admit You, but O, to no end,
Reason Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love You, and would be loved fain,
[10]      But am betrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthral me, never shall be free, 
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

In sum, what does the speaker of this poem desire?

salvation

The questions below are based on the following selection.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

To whom is this poem addressed?

God

The questions below are based on the following selection.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

A reader might infer that the slain “saints” died

for religious reasons.

The questions below are based on the following selection.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

The rhyme scheme of this poem identifies it as

an Italian sonnet.

The questions below are based on the following selection.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

Which of the following lines is a main clause?

“Their martyred blood and ashes sow”

The questions below are based on the following selection.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

With what metaphor does Milton further describe the “slaughtered saints” of line 1?

sheep

The questions below are based on the following selection.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

Which phrase allows a reader to infer that the Piemontese preyed on their countrymen?

“in their ancient fold”

The questions below are based on the following selection.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

Which phrase provides a transition from the octave to the sestet of the poem?

“Their moans”

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

What is distinctive about the image featured in the beginning of line 8?

It is specific instead of general.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

What does the speaker wish will happen after the blood and ashes of the slain are sown “o’er the Italian fields”?

New saints will be born and flourish there.

Sonnet XVIII, “On the Late Massacre in Piemont” by John Milton
Avenge, O Lord, thy slaughtered saints, whose bones
Lie scattered on the Alpine mountains cold,
Even them who kept thy truth so pure of old
When all our fathers worshiped stocks and stones, 
[5]  Forget not; in thy book record their groans
Who were thy sheep, and in their ancient fold
Slain by the bloody Piemontese, that rolled
Mother with infant down the rocks. Their moans
The vales redoubled to the hills, and they
[10]  To heaven. Their martyred blood and ashes sow
O’er all the Italian fields, where still doth sway
The triple tyrant, that from these may grow
A hundred fold, who, having learnt thy way,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe.

How many sentences appear in the poem’s sestet?

two

The questions below are based on the following selection.

The following selection is based on Robert Burn’s “Afton Water.”  The Afton is a river in Ayrshire, a former county in southwestern Scotland. In this poem Burns uses several Scottish terms, including braes (“slopes”), cot (“cottage”), lea (“meadow”), and birk (“birch”).

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

[5]  Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds through the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighboring hills,
[10]  Far marked with the courses of clear, winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
[15]  There oft as mild evening weeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where my Mary resides:
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
[20]  As gathering sweet flowerets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Which is not addressed by the speaker in the first two stanzas?

Mary

The questions below are based on the following selection.

The following selection is based on Robert Burn’s “Afton Water.”  The Afton is a river in Ayrshire, a former county in southwestern Scotland. In this poem Burns uses several Scottish terms, including braes (“slopes”), cot (“cottage”), lea (“meadow”), and birk (“birch”).

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

[5]  Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds through the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighboring hills,
[10]  Far marked with the courses of clear, winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
[15]  There oft as mild evening weeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where my Mary resides:
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
[20]  As gathering sweet flowerets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Which is the best description of the poem’s mood?

gentle

The questions below are based on the following selection.

The following selection is based on Robert Burn’s “Afton Water.”  The Afton is a river in Ayrshire, a former county in southwestern Scotland. In this poem Burns uses several Scottish terms, including braes (“slopes”), cot (“cottage”), lea (“meadow”), and birk (“birch”).

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

[5]  Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds through the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighboring hills,
[10]  Far marked with the courses of clear, winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
[15]  There oft as mild evening weeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where my Mary resides:
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
[20]  As gathering sweet flowerets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Which line allows you to draw a conclusion about the nature of Mary’s relationship with the speaker?

“I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair”

The questions below are based on the following selection.

The following selection is based on Robert Burn’s “Afton Water.”  The Afton is a river in Ayrshire, a former county in southwestern Scotland. In this poem Burns uses several Scottish terms, including braes (“slopes”), cot (“cottage”), lea (“meadow”), and birk (“birch”).

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

[5]  Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds through the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighboring hills,
[10]  Far marked with the courses of clear, winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
[15]  There oft as mild evening weeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where my Mary resides:
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
[20]  As gathering sweet flowerets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

What is the speaker’s occupation?

shepard

The questions below are based on the following selection.

The following selection is based on Robert Burn’s “Afton Water.”  The Afton is a river in Ayrshire, a former county in southwestern Scotland. In this poem Burns uses several Scottish terms, including braes (“slopes”), cot (“cottage”), lea (“meadow”), and birk (“birch”).

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

[5]  Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds through the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighboring hills,
[10]  Far marked with the courses of clear, winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
[15]  There oft as mild evening weeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where my Mary resides:
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
[20]  As gathering sweet flowerets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Given the speaker’s promise in line 2, what might be deemed the most likely start of his song to the “sweet Afton”?

“How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighboring hills”

The questions below are based on the following selection.

The following selection is based on Robert Burn’s “Afton Water.”  The Afton is a river in Ayrshire, a former county in southwestern Scotland. In this poem Burns uses several Scottish terms, including braes (“slopes”), cot (“cottage”), lea (“meadow”), and birk (“birch”).

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

[5]  Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds through the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighboring hills,
[10]  Far marked with the courses of clear, winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
[15]  There oft as mild evening weeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where my Mary resides:
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
[20]  As gathering sweet flowerets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

In which of the following lines does Burns not personify some aspect of nature?

“My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye”

The questions below are based on the following selection.

The following selection is based on Robert Burn’s “Afton Water.”  The Afton is a river in Ayrshire, a former county in southwestern Scotland. In this poem Burns uses several Scottish terms, including braes (“slopes”), cot (“cottage”), lea (“meadow”), and birk (“birch”).

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, I’ll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

[5]  Thou stock-dove whose echo resounds through the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you, disturb not my slumbering fair.

How lofty, sweet Afton, thy neighboring hills,
[10]  Far marked with the courses of clear, winding rills;
There daily I wander as noon rises high,
My flocks and my Mary’s sweet cot in my eye.

How pleasant thy banks and green valleys below,
Where wild in the woodlands the primroses blow;
[15]  There oft as mild evening weeps over the lea,
The sweet-scented birk shades my Mary and me.

Thy crystal stream, Afton, how lovely it glides,
And winds by the cot where my Mary resides:
How wanton thy waters her snowy feet lave,
[20]  As gathering sweet flowerets she stems thy clear wave.

Flow gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, sweet river, the theme of my lays;
My Mary’s asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

In what sense is the second stanza crucial to the total effect of the poem?

Its suggestion of mild conflict roots the otherwise gentle song in the real world of nature.