Anthology Study Guide

The Wind - What words or phrases show the wind to be fleeting or fragile?

“Blown tremulous in Glass.”

The Wind - Is the wind menacing or kind based on the speakers tone?

positive - kind, company, humming bird voice

The Wind - What impression of the speaker does the poem present?

Loneliness, wanting company, friendly → offer seat, realizes wind isn’t real.

A Pace Like That - Why does the poet compare the Torah scroll to his way of life?

Relates to his everyday life, takes an entire year to decipher, yet he wants to do it and does it in a day.

A Pace Like That - Why is the Torah scroll a good image for a slow pace?

It takes a while to read and understand.

The Wind + A Pace Like That - In what ways do the images of nature in these poems reflect similar attitudes toward the natural world?

Reflecting nature into their own lives → Fast wind and slow growing trees.

Right Hand - What does the Grandfather’s hand do as it irons shirts?

It reflects his care and attention, dedication symbolizing his connection to tradition and family.

Right Hand - What kind of stories might the hand or the grandfather have to share?

Stories of immigration, origin, “ironing out” his past → hence the imagery of “wrinkled” (often associated with old)

Right Hand - Explain the meaning of lines 8-9 (the one with the dust in the corner 🙃)

Heritage is still present, spreads into the corners of the room.

Right Hand - What can you infer about the speaker’s heritage based own this poem?

Jewish background

Right Hand - What language do you think the grandfather uses most often?

Yiddish → spreads into the room, present. English → less confident, secondary language

Jade Flower Palace - Where does the speaker sit and what does he do?

on the grass and writes poem.

Jade Flower Palace - Why is the speaker overcome with pathos?

He’s lost all his glory and richness. He reflects on past beauty and splendor, feeling a deep sense of nostalgia and sorrow.

Jade Flower Palace - How do the last six lines relate to the rest of the poem? (basically him writing the poem and being sad)

He doesn’t know what to expect for the future now that he lost everything.

The Moon - Identify the event on which Li Po focuses on

Soldiers marching to battle

The Moon - In what way does the setting of the poem seem appropriate for battle?

The moonlight creates a stark, illuminating contrast against the darkness, enhancing the tension and anticipation of the soldiers as they prepare for battle. In addition: bad weather, hazy, distorted.

The Guitar - To what does the author compare of the weeping of the guitar?

water/wind, sound of a lament, symbolizing a sorrow and longing.

The Guitar - What emotion does he attribute to it?

Morning sadness, loss

Making a Fist - What answer does the mother give to the speakers question?

When you can no longer make a fist

Making a Fist - What does the poet’s childhood journey represent?

Immigration, separate from family and support from their mother, strength, independence and resilience.

Making a Fist - What does the speaker ask?

How do you know if you are going to die?

In Flanders Fields - Who are the speakers of “In Flanders Fields”?

The speakers are fallen soldiers who died in World War I.

In Flanders Fields - What is the urgent message?

A call to action to continue the fight and remember the sacrifices of those who died.

The Kraken - What is the Kraken doing, and how do you know?

Initially sleeping, but is awoken and rises from the ocean, indicating its power and menace, as evidenced by the waves and the fear it instills in sailors.

The Kraken - According to the poem, what is the only thing that would cause a change in the Kraken’s activity?

The latter fire → the apocalypse → is its death, which would lead to a quiet sea, signaling the end of its menace.

The Kraken - What would be the outcome of such an event?

the death of itself and everything else around it

Meeting at Night - Describe the journey of the speaker:

Starts in a boat crossing a body of water → walking across a beach and field → destination at the window.

Meeting at Night - What is the reason for the “tap at the pane?”

Secret meeting → knocking at the window instead of front door. A secret romance indicated in the last lines.

Reapers - What do the reapers do before they start swimming their scythes?

sharpen it

Reapers - Identify two items that the reapers cut, and explain the difference in the actions:

Intended to cut weed, rat was just an innocent bystander

In Flanders Fields - What is the purpose of the meter?

Pauses to remember veterans.

Reapers - What action does the “s” sounds reflect?

swishing sound of scythe, symbolism to grim reaper and how they hold scythes