1 What collection was "The Thing Is" published in? Indigo Mules of Love The Human Line Like a Beggar 2 What year did the collection in which "The Thing Is" was first published come out? 1977 2002 2018 2010 3 Which best describes what "The Thing Is" is about? The speaker describes God like a disappointed and grieving parent. The speaker instructs readers to love life even amidst the difficult heaviness of grief. The speaker holds her despair the way she held her babies when they were young. The speaker tells her lover to bring over her pain. 4 What award did Mules of Love receive? Pulitzer Prize Lambda Literary Award Nobel Peace Prize Rattle Poetry Prize 5 Which is not a theme in "The Thing Is"? Resilience and Agency Loving Life Avoiding Grief Grief and the Body 6 How does the concept of resilience appear in the poem? The speaker argues that one must choose to love life even in difficult circumstances. The speaker argues that readers should succumb to their grief. The word "resilience" appears twice in quick succession. Resilience does not appear as a concept in the poem. 7 How does Bass write about the body in "The Thing Is?" The body is extremely fragile and cannot handle the weight of grief. Grief wrecks the human body and should be avoided at all cost. Not only does experiencing grief affect various parts of the human body, but grief is given its own bodily presence in the poem. The human body does not appear in the poem. 8 How is life personified in the poem? As having a "plain face" with "no charming smile" or "violet eyes." As tropical heat. As a figure that sits with you. As an enemy. 9 Define "violet." A flower A shade of red A bluish-purple color Another word for violence 10 Which is not a symbol in the poem? Burnt Paper Stomach Tropical Heat Lambs 11 Which best characterizes the voices in Bass's poems? Joyful, Celebratory Conversational, Accessible Shrewd, Ironic Bitter, Pensive 12 Which points of view appear in "The Thing Is"? Third Person All of the perspectives Second Person First Person 13 What is the poem's meter? Iambic Pentameter Blank Verse Free verse Iambic Tetrameter 14 Which quote contains an example of alliteration? "crumbles like burnt paper in your hands" "Then you hold life like a face" "to love life, to love it even" "and everything you’ve held dear" 15 Which quote contains an example of assonance? "only more of it, an obesity of grief," "When grief sits with you, its tropical heat" "when you have no stomach for it" "your throat filled with the silt of it" 16 What is an example of irony in this poem? When the air of grief is more fit for gills than lungs. When grief is portrayed as tropical heat. When everything dear crumbles like burnt paper. Bass does not use irony in this poem. 17 Which best describes the tone of the poem? Hopeful, Optimistic, Submissive Bitter, Resentful, Rageful Pensive, Resentful, Prideful Optimistic, Resilient, Loving 18 Finish this quote: "when grief weights you down___" like your own flesh as if you are pummeled like a weight like your life 19 What is the poem's thesis? One should have a charming smile to make good impressions. One should hold grief like the face of a lover. One should avoid grief at all cost. One should choose to love life in any circumstances, including grief. 20 Which is one way that grief is not characterized? A baby to be held. Tropical heat. A presence that sits with you. An overabundance of flesh. 21 Which is an anaphora in the poem? I will Then you Thickening The thing is 22 What is personified in the poem? Grief Grief and Life Love Life 23 What does the phrase "the thing is" mean? It is used in formal settings. It is part of the Pledge of Allegiance. It is used in the court of law to introduce a case. It is used to introduce an explanation or issue. 24 What is something that Bass has expressed is important to her in terms of her poetic craft? Transformation Denial Despair Nature 25 Bass calls herself a(n) ___ poet. historical praise fake Instagram
