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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Charles Simic was born in which country?

2. Which of the following words is not used to describe Wright's work?

3. Which of the following is a main theme in Amy Clampitt's work?

4. Mary Oliver believed that the majority of her poems were ______.

5. Which poet wrote "The Old Cosmologists?"

Short Essay Questions

1. What prompted Anne Sexton to begin writing poetry? What was Sexton's style? What are some characteristics of Sexton's style?

2. Examine the theme and meaning contained in Rita Dove's "Adolescence - II." How does the theme link to Dove's other work?

3. Discuss Amy Clampitt's early career. What are some of Clampitt's themes?

4. What prompted Anne Sexton to begin writing poetry? What was Sexton's style? What are some characteristics of Sexton's style?

5. What is Mary Oliver's style? How does Mary Oliver incorporate nature into her work? What unique gift does Oliver have as a poet?

6. In which regions and countries did Irving Feldman live? What are some of the characteristics of Feldman's work? Name three people that appear in Feldman's poetry.

7. Who was Adrienne Rich? What causes did she promote through her work?

8. Jay Wright had a way of combining facts about various cultures and relating them to his heritage. Discuss Wright's heritage and how he celebrated the accomplishments of others.

9. How does Michael S. Harper incorporate his heritage into his work? What was Harper's biggest influence? What themes commonly appear in his poetry? List some of Harper's poems that appear in this book.

10. How does Ellen Bryant Voigt compare poetry to music? Why does Voigt make this comparison? In which part of the poem is the comparison most evident?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the following:

1.) What is the poetic form known as the epigram? Name a famous poem written in this form. Detail the form's structure, content, and requirements. What parts of the poem are open for creative license and interpretation? Write at least four distinct examples of an epigram, using four different topics.

2.) What is the poetic form known as the quatrain? In Marilyn Hacker's "The Ballad of Ladies Lost and Found," the poet used this form. Name at least three other famous poems written in this form. Detail the form's structure, content, and requirements. What parts of the poem are open for creative license and interpretation? Write at least one example of a quatrain, with a minimum of 30 lines.

Essay Topic 2

William Meredith and Robert Pinsky both believed that effective poetry could be created by focusing on ordinary things. However, those ordinary things were mixed with extraordinary language. Why is it important to use unusual words or a combination of words as a powerful tool to create vivid poetry? How do Meredith and Pinsky accomplish this task? Why are these tools and techniques valuable? What can be learned from employing these techniques in reference to topics that might otherwise seem mundane?

Essay Topic 3

In several of the daily lessons, students were asked to keep and update a poetry journal. Explain in detail the type of entries kept in both journals and how the information in each may be used to create an effective and vivid poem. Include examples.

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