Question
Figurative Language Poem 1
Sketch
By Carl Sandburg
The shadows of the ships
Rock on the crest
In the low blue lustre
Of the tardy and the soft inrolling tide.
A long brown bar at the dip of the sky
Puts an arm of sand in the span of salt.
The lucid and endless wrinkles
Draw in, lapse and withdraw.
Wavelets crumble and white spent bubbles
Wash on the floor of the beach.
Rocking on the crest
In the low blue lustre
Are the shadows of the ships.
Review Questions
Directions: Respond to these questions to the best of your ability. Answer the questions completely. If
you need more space, use the back or a separate sheet.
1. Identify an example of personification: explain what is being personified how.
2. Identify an example of hyperbole: explain how it is exaggerated.
3. Identify an example of metaphor: explain which two things are being compared.
4. Find two separate examples of alliteration. List the alliterative words.
5. Where is repetition used in this poem? Why do you think that it is used this way?
6. What action is described in the third stanza of the poem?
7. How is imagery used in this poem? What is described?
8. What is the mood of this poem? How does it make you feel?
Sketch
By Carl Sandburg
The shadows of the ships
Rock on the crest
In the low blue lustre
Of the tardy and the soft inrolling tide.
A long brown bar at the dip of the sky
Puts an arm of sand in the span of salt.
The lucid and endless wrinkles
Draw in, lapse and withdraw.
Wavelets crumble and white spent bubbles
Wash on the floor of the beach.
Rocking on the crest
In the low blue lustre
Are the shadows of the ships.
Review Questions
Directions: Respond to these questions to the best of your ability. Answer the questions completely. If
you need more space, use the back or a separate sheet.
1. Identify an example of personification: explain what is being personified how.
2. Identify an example of hyperbole: explain how it is exaggerated.
3. Identify an example of metaphor: explain which two things are being compared.
4. Find two separate examples of alliteration. List the alliterative words.
5. Where is repetition used in this poem? Why do you think that it is used this way?
6. What action is described in the third stanza of the poem?
7. How is imagery used in this poem? What is described?
8. What is the mood of this poem? How does it make you feel?
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Here are responses to the review questions based on Carl Sandburg's poem "Sketch":
1. **Example of Personification**:
- An example of personification in this poem is "The lucid and endless wrinkles / Draw in, lapse and withdraw." In this line, the "wrinkles" of the tide are given human-like qualities as they are described as being capable of drawing in and withdrawing, suggesting intentional movement.
2. **Example of Hyperbole**:
- While there are not strong exaggerated statements in this poem, one could argue that "lucid and endless wrinkles" implies an infinite quality to the waves, exaggerating the continuity of the ocean's motion. The term "endless" suggests that the waves go on forever without a break, which is an exaggeration of the reality.
3. **Example of Metaphor**:
- One metaphor in the poem is when the "long brown bar" is compared to "an arm of sand in the span of salt." Here, the sandbar is metaphorically referred to as an "arm," suggesting it extends into the ocean like an arm extending from a body, emphasizing its presence in the water.
4. **Examples of Alliteration**:
- Two examples of alliteration in the poem include:
- "shadows of the ships" (the 's' sound)
- "white spent bubbles" (the 'b' sound)
5. **Repetition Used in the Poem**:
- Repetition occurs in the lines "Rocking on the crest / In the low blue lustre / Are the shadows of the ships." The image of the "shadows of the ships" is repeated, emphasizing their presence and creating a rhythmic quality. This repetition helps to anchor the mood of tranquility and reflection throughout the poem.
6. **Action Described in the Third Stanza**:
- The action described in the third stanza is that of "wavelets" as they "crumble and white spent bubbles wash on the floor of the beach." This suggests a gentle and continual action of the waves interacting with the shore.
7. **Imagery Used in the Poem**:
- Imagery is vividly employed in lines such as "low blue lustre" and "white spent bubbles." These descriptions create a visual picture of the beach and the sea, allowing readers to envision the serene and rhythmic nature of the tide and the beauty of sunlight reflecting on the water.
8. **Mood of the Poem**:
- The mood of the poem is tranquil and reflective. It evokes a sense of calmness and peacefulness, making the reader feel serene and contemplative, as if they are witnessing the gentle motions of the sea and the soft beauty of nature.
1. **Example of Personification**:
- An example of personification in this poem is "The lucid and endless wrinkles / Draw in, lapse and withdraw." In this line, the "wrinkles" of the tide are given human-like qualities as they are described as being capable of drawing in and withdrawing, suggesting intentional movement.
2. **Example of Hyperbole**:
- While there are not strong exaggerated statements in this poem, one could argue that "lucid and endless wrinkles" implies an infinite quality to the waves, exaggerating the continuity of the ocean's motion. The term "endless" suggests that the waves go on forever without a break, which is an exaggeration of the reality.
3. **Example of Metaphor**:
- One metaphor in the poem is when the "long brown bar" is compared to "an arm of sand in the span of salt." Here, the sandbar is metaphorically referred to as an "arm," suggesting it extends into the ocean like an arm extending from a body, emphasizing its presence in the water.
4. **Examples of Alliteration**:
- Two examples of alliteration in the poem include:
- "shadows of the ships" (the 's' sound)
- "white spent bubbles" (the 'b' sound)
5. **Repetition Used in the Poem**:
- Repetition occurs in the lines "Rocking on the crest / In the low blue lustre / Are the shadows of the ships." The image of the "shadows of the ships" is repeated, emphasizing their presence and creating a rhythmic quality. This repetition helps to anchor the mood of tranquility and reflection throughout the poem.
6. **Action Described in the Third Stanza**:
- The action described in the third stanza is that of "wavelets" as they "crumble and white spent bubbles wash on the floor of the beach." This suggests a gentle and continual action of the waves interacting with the shore.
7. **Imagery Used in the Poem**:
- Imagery is vividly employed in lines such as "low blue lustre" and "white spent bubbles." These descriptions create a visual picture of the beach and the sea, allowing readers to envision the serene and rhythmic nature of the tide and the beauty of sunlight reflecting on the water.
8. **Mood of the Poem**:
- The mood of the poem is tranquil and reflective. It evokes a sense of calmness and peacefulness, making the reader feel serene and contemplative, as if they are witnessing the gentle motions of the sea and the soft beauty of nature.