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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. In “Eternity, Lama Temple,” the speaker watches others do what?

2. In “The United States Welcomes You,” the speaker asks if the person is there in regard to whom?

3. “New Road Station” begins by talking about what?

4. In “Eternity,” the speaker asks what the soul is allowed to do?

5. In “Watershed,” D’s first husband was what?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does "The United States Welcomes You" end?

2. What does the speaker in "Eternity: Landscape Painting" say about the soul?

3. What are two of the questions asked in "The United States Welcomes You"?

4. What does the audience begin to sense in "Theatrical Improvisation"?

5. In "Eternity: Lama Temple," what does the speaker notice around him or her?

6. How does the speaker feel in “In Your Condition”?

7. Of what is the speaker ashamed in “Annunciation”?

8. What do the women say to the man, as they crouch down around him in "Theatrical Improvisation"?

9. How does the speaker describe a woman in “Charity”?

10. What does the speaker observe in “Beatific”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Smith frequently uses sentences in her poetry that overflow from one line to another with spaces in between. What might be her reasoning for doing this? How does it affect the flow of the poetry? Is it effective? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

In “Eternity, Lama Temple,” what is the significance of each of the speaker’s observations? How do these observations affect the speaker? Why? What is the relationship between these observations and the title of the poem?

Essay Topic 3

Several of the poems were created for a specific group or event. How might this have affected the poet and her choices regarding writing these poems? Can this type of inspiration be a hinderance for the poet? Why or why not? How might the poet benefit from certain restrictions when writing a poem?

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