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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 stanza three of 'The Creation,' what body of water does the author use to describe darkness?

2. How does the speaker describe the congregation in 'Listen, Lord'?

3. What does the 'Listen, Lord' speaker want the preacher cleaned of?

4. What is 'Listen, Lord' about?

5. What is the boy's new life like in 'The Prodigal Son' ?

Short Essay Questions

1. In 'Noah Built the Ark,' what does Eve believe will happen if she eats fruit from the tree? Who tells her otherwise?

2. How does God create man in the poem 'The Creation'? How does He bring man to life?

3. How does the poet describe the dead in the poem 'Go Down Death'?

4. In the poem 'The Creation', how does God create light? How does He feel after He creates light?

5. Who is Jesus taken before in 'The Crucifixion'? What is this leaders response to Jesus?

6. Describe how the congregation in 'Listen, Lord' approaches God.

7. God is looking for Adam and Eve at the start of 'Noah Built the Ark.' Where is he searching? How does he find them?

8. Who is the last righteous man on earth in the poem 'Noah Built the Ark,' and how does God reward him?

9. How does the son say his new life compares to his old life in the poem 'The Prodigal Son'?

10. How does Judas betray Jesus in the poem 'The Crucifixion'?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Provide detailed autobiographical information about the author and explain how his life influenced his choice to write these poems.

Essay Topic 2

Johnson describes God as both a father figure and motherly figure. Cite two examples, one where Johnson describes him as a mother and the other where he describes him as a father. How does the description work in the context of that particular poem?

Essay Topic 3

Johnson uses repetition in several of his poems. Choose one poem where Johnson uses repetition. What purpose does repetition serve? What purpose does repetition serve in the context of the specific poem?

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