Sandburg Study Questions
“Fog” 1414
A. How is fog like a cat?
B. The poem is typical of an imagist poem.
“Nocturne in a Deserted Brickyard” 1414
A. What do the first four lines describe?
B. What effect does the moon have on the brickyard?
“Monotone” 1414
A. What are the first two verses describing about beauty?
B. What does Sandburg do with that explanation?
“Gone” 1414-15
A. Tone is the attitude of poets toward their subjects.
B. What is Sandburg’s tone in “Gone”?
C. How might Robinson have treated the subject?
D. How would Frost have treated the subject?
E. Why does Sandburg celebrate her?
“A Fence” 1415
A. What is Sandburg’s tone in “A Fence”?
B. What does the fence do in his poem?
C. How does Sandburg’s fence differ from Frost’s wall?
“Grass” 1415
A. What is Sandburg’s tone in “Grass”?
B. What does the grass symbolize and how?
C. What does he mean by the last line?
“Southern Pacific” 1415-16
A. What is Sandburg describing in “Southern Pacific”?
B. What point does he make?
C. What symbol does he use?
“Washerwoman” 1416
A. What is the woman doing?
B. What is significant about her belonging to the Salvation Army?
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