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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. Which of the poets had a Hasidic Russian rabbi for a father?

2. Allen Ginsberg is closely affiliated with which poetic movement?

3. In which year did Merrill win the Pulitzer Prize?

4. In which city was Robert Hayden born?

5. Who was heavily influenced by Theodore Roethke?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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.

2. Examine Robert Duncan's childhood and how it affected his career.

3. Howard Moss is best known for working with which iconic magazine? What is Moss' style? List some of the poems written by Moss and included in this book.

4. Give a brief overview of John Berryman's life. Also note Berryman's influences, style, and common topics covered in his work. How did critics review Berryman's work?

5. What is unusual about W.S. Merwin's choice of career? What are some of the main topics and/or themes often used by Merwin?

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

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

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

9. Which major award was won by W. D. Snodgrass? How might Snodgrass' poems be described?

10. What was Allen Ginsberg's first major success? What made Ginsberg into an iconic poet?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

W.S. Merwin is one of the poets that patterned his work after the traditional and classic English romantic poetry. Examine in detail the concept and technique involved in writing traditional and classic English romantic poetry. What other poets have followed this format? Why did some poets shy away from or completely distance themselves from this type of poetry? Write a 500 word essay on English romantic poetry. Also include five poems that best represent the style.

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

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.

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