"Eagle Poem" by Joy Harjo

The word "Poem" is added to the title in order to:

• ironically suggest that what follows is not a poem at all.

• introduce the idea of redundancy and its negative impact on life.

• emphasize that we can learn and gain much from watching the eagle in flight.

• give the title more simplicity in order to highlight the main subject.

• match the metrical pattern used throughout the entire poem.

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All of the following poetic devices are used by Harjo in the poem EXCEPT:

• simile

• anaphora

• enjambment

• imagery

• onomatopoeia

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The primary literary device is a simile used to compare an eagle's arc of flight to:

• the cycle of life.

• fleeting emotional states.

• society's overemphasis on kindness.

• voices of deceased ancestors and unborn descendants.

• the cadence of laughter.

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Harjo excludes aural imagery in her poem in order to:

• demonstrate her skill with visual imagery.

• reinforce the idea that our inner self develops with no particular sound.

• contrast the noise of the eagle's ascent.

• compel readers to discuss our needs and feelings with others.

• highlight the futility of language itself.

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Which sentence best identifies the central theme of the poem?

• Salt River is a place worthy of a spiritual pilgrimage.

• Life is an unpredictable journey that lacks beauty.

• Prayer is a futile practice.

• For mental peace and self-knowledge, one should follow a path of spirituality guided by nature.

• Material success leads to spiritual enlightenment.

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The word "sacred" is used in line 13 ("With sacred wings") in order to:

• invest divinity into the eagle, a creature depicted as a messenger of the Creator.

• show the eagle to be a pariah of the natural world.

• suggest the importance of protecting endangered wildlife.

• convey a belief that Native American spirituality is the only means of salvation.

• contrast other poems that depict the eagle as a majestic overseer of earthly life.

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The overall tone of the poem can best be described to be:

• condescending and wry.

• nostalgic and sentimental.

• inspirational and bombastic.

• reflective and acerbic.

• soothing and didactic.

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The structure and form of the poem makes it an example of:

• blank verse.

• free verse.

• an English sonnet.

• an Italian sonnet.

• a villanelle.

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The poet repeats "In beauty" to end the poem in order to:

• suggest that the heart will feel at ease if joy is found in the movement towards death.

• imply that urban areas of sprawling concrete and asphalt are ugly.

• reprimand those who focus on physical beauty.

• mock the spirituality of organized religions.

• demonstrate her fragmented and redundant thought patterns.

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Anaphora and asyndeton are employed in the opening three lines of the poem in order to:

• mimic the chants often used in traditional prayer.

• show off the poet's creative talent.

• emphasize the continuity of nature and the need to commune with it.

• ridicule the idea of any search for inner peace.

• lull the reader into a state of emotional serenity.

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