Question

Longing by Paul Laurence Dunbar

If you could sit with me beside the sea to-day.
And whisper with me sweetest dreamings o'er and o'er;
I think I should not find the clouds so dim and gray.
And not so loud the waves complaining at the shore.
If you could sit with me upon the shore to-day,
And hold my hand in yours as in the days of old,
I think I should not mind the chill baptismal spray,
Nor find my hand and heart and all the world so cold.
If you could walk with me upon the strand to-day.
And tell me that my longing love had won your own,
I think all my sad thoughts would then be put away,
And I could give back laughter for the Ocean's moan!
Which of the following best describes how Dunbar's diction contributes to the overall meaning of the poem?
(1 point)
• He uses complex, academic language to show his intellectual superiority.
• He chooses soft, emotional words to express deep yearning and sadness.
• He relies on aggressive, militaristic language to convey conflict.
• He uses humorous and playful words to create a light-hearted tone.

Answer 1

• He chooses soft, emotional words to express deep yearning and sadness.

Dunbar’s word choices — whisper, sweetest dreamings, longing, sad thoughts, Ocean’s moan — create a tender, melancholic tone that emphasizes the speaker’s longing and sorrow.