The Leash Quizzes

The Leash Quiz

By Rebecca Bedell · Edited by James Cooper · Last reviewed October 02, 2022

1 The sky "swallows only ______ in each of us"

the deadly water

the hatred

the fearful

the unsayable
2 Why is the river poisoned?

An oil spill

A coal mine

Chemical warfare

Acid rain
3 What image is used to describe the crowd attacked by gunfire?

Waving candles

Singing together

Holding hands

Kneeling and praying
4 The speaker asks, "how can you not fear _____"

survival

humanity

this life

the bombs
5 What "comes back belly up"?

The dog

Fish

Miners

The river
6 What does "the wound closing" sound like?

A rusted-over garage door

A crackling fire

A speeding pickup truck

A creaking old barn
7 What command does the speaker have for the audience, and her dog?

"Walk with me"

"Stay alive"

"Don't die"

"Keep singing"
8 What is the "cold corpse" in the poem?

The river

Winter

The speaker

Time
9 "The truth is: ______"

I don't know

We are all begging

I hear it

What's left?
10 We are "begging for _____ from the speeding passage of time"

summer

life

love

joy
11 Which of the following animals does NOT appear in the poem?

Fish

Horse

Birds

Dog
12 What does "a crepitating crater of hatred" refer to?

The country

The well

The barrel of a gun

The sky
13 Where does the dog walk when she is being obedient?

The speaker's heels

In the street

The speaker's front

On the grass
14 What unrealistic hope for her dog does the speaker express?

That she can understand the speaker's words

That she will survive forever

That she will always walk politely

That she would survive a car accident
15 What does the speaker say "we are always hurtling our bodies toward"?

The dry creek bottom

The hope that will sustain us

The next roaring thing

The thing that will obliterate us
16 How many stanzas does this poem have?

Two

Thirty-three

One

Twenty-four
17 Which of the following positions did Ada Limón take up in 2022?

Editor-in-chief of Poetry Magazine

U.S. Poet Laureate

Professor Emerita

Librarian of Congress
18 What is the name of the book containing "The Leash"?

The Hurting Kind

The Carrying

Bright Dead Things

Lucky Wreck
19 During which decade was this poem published?

2010s

2000s

1990s

2020s
20 Where was "The Leash" initially published?

PBS

The Slowdown

The Kenyon Review

Poem-a-Day from the Academy of American Poets
21 What prestigious prize did "The Leash" win in 2018?

The T.S. Eliot Prize

The Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

The Pushcart Prize

The Hugo Award
22 What is Ada Limón's day job?

She is a high school teacher

She is a full-time poet

She is a horse-racing executive

She is a politician
23 Why does Ada Limón think poetry is the right place to handle intense political topics?

Because it doesn't have to provide a tidy answer

Because it is so widely read on the internet

Because it is not a money-making art form

Because it is always very personal
24 Why does Ada Limón think people are reading more poetry in recent years?

Because poetry is complex, not one-dimensional

Because poetry is always hopeful

Because poetry is easily translated

Because poetry is one-dimensional, not complex
25 Bonus question: what is the name of Limón's dog?

Luca

Laura

Lily Bean

Buttercup

The Leash Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for The Leash is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Ask Your Own Question

Study Guide for The Leash

The Leash study guide contains a biography of Ada Limón, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

Read the Study Guide for The Leash…