An angel, robed in spotless white,

Question

Bent down and kissed the sleeping Night.
Night woke to blush; the sprite was gone.
Men saw the blush and called it Dawn.

Paul Laurence Dunbar

I have a few questions on this poem which I do not understand and would like if u could offer some help.

How is personification used in this poem?

{ what I have so far }

Personification is used in this poem by the night being given human qualities. The angel bends down and kisses the "sleeping night", then night wakes to that angel's blush. The night in this poem is like a human.

The night isn't really being given human qualities, it is being like a human, how do I put that in simple words?

What is a 'sprite'

Is a sprite a mythical character?

Answer 1

I figured that you are the English teacher, could you please help me with my posts?

Answer 2

Personification is used in this poem by the night being given human qualities. The angel bends down and kisses the "sleeping night", then night wakes to that angel's blush. The night in this poem is like a human.

The night isn't really being given human qualities, it is being like a human, how do I put that in simple words?

Keep the first paragraph, and fix the run-on in there. Ditch the second.

What is a 'sprite'

Is a sprite a mythical character?
yes -- http://www.answers.com/sprite

Answer 3

Personification is used in this poem by the night being given some humanism.

Answer 4

Personification is used in this poem by the night being represented as a living thing. The night is endowed with the human ability to wake up.

Answer 5

Personification is used in this poem by the night being represented as a living thing. The night is endowed with the human ability to wake up. It also cannot be kissed, but in this poem it is endowed with the ability to be kissed like a living thing.

Answer 6

Too wordy.

When the poet writes "sleeping Night" and "Night woke," he is personifying "Night."

Now, rewrite your last sentence so it isn't awkward, wordy, or "clunky"!!