Escape Poem

In stanza 2 (lines 7–12), the reader can tell that the speaker feels —

• irritated that she does not have better communication skills for the experiences she has

• concerned that she must continue to talk with people who speak different languages

• confident that she will not feel separated from those in her family who speak a different language

• relieved that she is going to a familiar place where there will be less conflict

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

The simile in stanza 1 (lines 1–6) helps show that the speaker —

• wants to learn different languages in order to communicate with others

• feels torn between two different worlds that have little in common

• wants to go home again and not have to speak or listen to anyone

• feels annoyed by having to spend so much time listening to others

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.L.8.5A

What message does the poet hope to convey in the poem?

• A person’s memories become more significant as one grows older.

• Moving to a new place offers a person important and unique opportunities.

• The best way to remember a person is to visit the place where that person was born

• A person’s sense of identity is often linked to a meaningful location in one’s past.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.W.8.9A

Which lines from the poem best identify the source of the speaker’s conflict?

• Living in between two ways/of speaking/and hearing (lines 1–3)

• At least we’re finally/on our way to the farm, (lines 7–8)

• Horses of so many shades/that the colors can’t be/counted. (lines 22–24)

• Everything looks just as wild and free/as I’ve half-remembered (lines 25–26)

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.2

What is the effect of the two-word sentences in lines 19 through 21?

• The sentences emphasize the distinct contrasts found on the farm

• The sentences highlight the speaker’s memories of the farm from previous visits.

• The sentences detail how spacious the farm actually is.

• The sentences reveal the types of animals the speaker sees on the farm.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.4

Read stanza 6 (lines 28–33)

It’s as if my other self has been

here all along—

the invisible twin

who never left this island

and never

will

What is the poet suggesting by referring to the speaker’s “invisible twin”?

• The speaker has a sister living on the island whom she is looking forward to seeing.

• The speaker feels a bond with the land, and she believes it will always be her homeland.

• The speaker feels lonely on the island, and she wishes her family were there to share the experience with her.

• The speaker looks forward to spending time with close friends while she visits her homeland.

Tags

CCSS.RL.8.1

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.L.8.5A