Poetry 31-60

In “Insomnia and the Seven Steps to Grace” by Joy Harjo, what does the line “escapees from the night shift” refer to?

• People who quit their jobs

• People who get off work after working overnight

• People getting out of prison

• People getting promotions to better jobs

Which of the following is NOT something in “Insomnia and the Seven Steps to Grace” that helps indicate setting?

• “At dawn the panther of the heavens peers over the edge of the world.”

• “On the / city streets of this desert town lit by chemical yellow”

• “The panther relative yawns and puts her head between her paws.”

• “For safety he / approaches the red hills near Thoreau.”

What does the phrase “though the season before dawn is always winter” in Harjo’s “Insomnia…” most likely allude to? (check all that apply)

• Nights are very cold in the desert.

• The seasons change from day to day.

• Predawn has a cold, lonely feeling.

What cultural influence is plainly seen throughout Harjo’s poem “Insomnia and the Seven Steps to Grace”?

• Latin American

• Asian American

• Native American

• African American

The use of personification in “Insomnia and the Seven Steps to Grace” serves to:

• Relate the interconnectedness of all life.

• Add a somber quality to an otherwise gleeful poem.

• Show the differences between human and animal life.

• Draw attention to expressions of joy.

What effect does the figurative language in the following lines from "Insomnia..." have on the poem's mood? "One woman stops at a red light, turns over a worn tape to the last chorus of a whispery blues. She has decided to live another day."

• It creates an upbeat mood with words like “red light” and “last chorus.”

• It creates a depressing mood with words like “worn tape” and “whispery blues.”

• It does not impact the mood at all.

• It creates a feeling of suspense and uncertainty.

Throughout "Insomnia...", the speaker uses dreams as a motif. What does this motif most likely represent in the poem?

• Oblivion

• Trepidation

• Salvation

• Repentance

What is the panther's primary role in Harjo's "Insomnia..."?

• A mediator

• A warrior

• A deceiver

• An observer

Which of the following is NOT a person that appears in Harjo's "Insomnia"?

• A baby sleeping with a full belly

• People coming home from a night out

• A young man visiting the grave of his father

• A mother seeking employment

What makes the knowledge “untouchable” for the children asleep in their beds at the end of Harjo’s “Insomnia...”?

• They do not like to learn new things.

• They are innocent about the realities of the world.

• They do not want to know.

• All the above.