Question

A Song
by Paul Lawrence Dunbar
Thou art the soul of a summer’s day,
Thou art the breath of the rose.
But the summer is fled
And the rose is dead
Where are they gone, who knows, who knows?
Thou art the blood of my heart o’ hearts,
Thou art my soul’s repose,
But my heart grows numb
And my soul is dumb
Where are thou, love, who knows, who knows?
Thou art the hope of my after years—
Sun for my winter snows
But the years go by
‘Neath a clouded sky.
Where shall we meet, who knows, who knows?
"A Song" by Paul Laurence Dunbar
A)
Use the poem to answer the question.
In 1–2 sentences, explain a conclusionthat can be drawn about the poem basedon its structure.
(2 points)

Answer 1

The poem’s three parallel stanzas, each beginning with the anaphora “Thou art…” and ending with the repeated refrain “Where… who knows, who knows?”, create a rhythmic pattern that emphasizes the speaker’s persistent idealization of the beloved and growing sense of loss and uncertainty. The repetition and parallel structure thus reinforce the theme of unresolved longing.