View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. Olson believed poetry should be written based on _____, not meter.

2. Duncan's work is different because it is considered to be more ____.

3. "Amusing Our Daughters" was written to which of the poet's family members?

4. Who was heavily influenced by Theodore Roethke?

5. Mona Van Duyn taught at which St. Louis based university?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Robert Penn Warren considered to be one of the country's most famous poets? What position did Warren hold in the 1960s?

2. Describe William Meredith's work and his main focus. Also list some of the poems included in his section.

3. What prestigious position did Carolyn Kizer hold? Who greatly influenced Kizer's work? What major award did Kizer receive?

4. What is the purpose of the anthology? Who is involved? What are the criteria for the poets? How do these poets reflect the popularity and talent of twentieth century poets?

5. What major theme was often used in James Wright's work? What major award did James Wright win for his work?

6. Discuss the poets listed in the first section. Examine at least one of the topics two or more of the poets have in common.

7. Describe Richard Hugo's work and possible influence on style and subject.

8. Examine briefly the life and work of Robert Hayden. How did Hayden attempt to break the color barrier? What are some of Hayden's poems included in this section?

9. What other career did A.R. Ammons have while writing poetry on the side? What were some of Ammon's influences outside the literary realm? What are some styles used by Ammons?

10. Discuss the wide variety of jobs held by Richard Wilbur. Also discuss Wilbur's style and the poems in which the style is exhibited in this collection.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Jay Wright, Michael S. Harper and Allen Ginsberg are just three of the poets that used their work to support a particular culture. Wright and Harper wrote poems dedicated to black culture, while Ginsberg was focused on being part of the counterculture of America during the 1950s and beyond. Write a 750 word essay on how using poetry to reveal and/or celebrate cultural differences may be an effective way to teach the general public about that specific culture. Also discuss how using poetry in this way might have a negative effect.

Essay Topic 3

In several of the works, the poets manage to create characters and evoke emotions through the use of monologue and/or dialogue. As such the poet requires the reader to experience a situation through the eyes of another, effectively creating or using another voice rather than one's own. Explain how this might be done. If you were going to create a poem written in this way, what voice would you choose to use? How would you achieve the transformation? Would it be easier or more difficult to choose a fictional character? Would it be easier or more difficult to write through the eyes of the opposite sex?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,301 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample