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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 "I Am Waiting" the poet writes he is waiting to write the great ____ poem.

2. How is "sister in the street" wearing her brassiere in "Junkman's Obbligato"?

3. The poet writes he's selling everything and giving the rest to what in "Junkman's Obbligato"?

4. In "Autobiography," the author writes, "I landed in Normandy/in a rowboat that _______."

5. In "Autobiography," who has the poet heard "strained through a sheet"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the overall theme of the poem "Junkman's Obbligato"? What allusions point to this?

2. Describe the pop culture and literary references the author makes in "Autobiography."

3. Why does the author describe the poems of Chapter Two as "oral messages"?

4. Describe the dog in the poem, "Dog."

5. How is the street described in "The Long Street"?

6. What events take place in "Christ Climbed Down"?

7. What is admirable to the poet about the dog in "Dog"?

8. What is the poet's meaning in "The Long Street"?

9. Describe the train in "Meet Miss Subways." How is this tied to its theme?

10. What are some of the things the poet is waiting for in "I Am Waiting"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Poem 8 of Chapter One describes a couple on a picnic in Golden Gate Park. What is the mood of this poem? What symbolism does the poet use? How do these reflect its themes?

Essay Topic 2

What are the predominant, overriding themes in Chapter Three of the collection. What artistic and literary allusions are used in the poetry of this chapter? How does the artist feel about the references he makes?

Essay Topic 3

Poem 5 of "A Coney Island of the Mind" describes "a kind of carpenter / from some square-type place / like Galilee." Describe the religious imagery and themes of this poem.

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