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! "Longing" by Paul Laurence Dunbar

Question

Use the poem to answer the question. What is one way in which diction affects the meaning of the poem? (1 point) Responses

The repetition in each stanza highlights the speaker’s love for the sea.

The word choice contributes to an angry mood.

The word choice contributes to an angry mood.

The repetition in each stanza highlights the speaker’s feelings of loneliness.

Answer 1

The repetition in each stanza highlights the speaker’s feelings of loneliness.

This choice reflects the overall longing and yearning expressed throughout the poem, as the speaker wishes to share moments by the sea with someone they love. The repeated phrases emphasize a deep desire for connection, making the theme of loneliness more poignant.