Longing

Question

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.

Based on the poem’s structure, what can readers infer about the speaker?

(1 point)
Responses

The speaker wants to move to a new place away from the ocean.
The speaker wants to move to a new place away from the ocean.

The speaker thinks the clouds would not be so dim and gray if one particular person was with them.
The speaker thinks the clouds would not be so dim and gray if one particular person was with them.

The speaker dislikes the rhythm made by the ocean’s waves.
The speaker dislikes the rhythm made by the ocean’s waves.

The speaker feels lonely and believes that one particular person could bring joy back into their life.

Answer 1

The correct inference based on the poem's structure is:

The speaker feels lonely and believes that one particular person could bring joy back into their life.

This conclusion is supported by the speaker's repeated yearning for companionship and the way their mood seems tied to the presence of a specific person, suggesting that this person's company could alleviate their sadness and longing.

Answer 2

Use the stanza to answer the question.

Silly, simpering, sideways sellout!
You’re neither man nor machine, but monstrously more!
Which poetic elements are present in this stanza?

Select the two correct answers.

(1 point)
Responses

rhyme scheme
rhyme scheme

assonance
assonance

consonance
consonance

alliteration
alliteration

enjambment
enjambment
Skip to navigation

Answer 3

The two poetic elements present in the stanza are:

1. Alliteration - The repetition of the initial consonant sounds in "Silly, simpering, sideways sellout!" showcases alliteration.

2. Consonance - The repetition of consonant sounds in close proximity, such as the "s" sound in "silly," "simpering," and "sideways" as well as "sellout."

These elements contribute to the rhythm and tone of the stanza.