Hanging Fire Poem

1. What tone does the poem best express?

• horror

• regret

• senselessness

• anxiety

What can be inferred about the speaker’s view of the mother through the use of the repeated phrase in each stanza?

• a compassionate parent

• a unsympathetic parent

• a humane parent

• a considerate parent

What does the closed door symbolize in the poem?

• The mother’s heartache for the child

• The mother’s lack of attention towards the child.

• The neediness of the child

• The child’s nervousness

In each stanza, we see the words, “momma’s in the bedroom with the door closed” What other theme is also repeated in each stanza?

• celebration

• wonderment

• longevity

• uneasiness

In “Hanging Fire” what is the effect of the speaker’s repetition of the same phrase at the end of each stanza?

• It shows that the speaker is not dependent on his or her mother.

• It suggests a good relationship with his or her mother.

• It reveals the mother’s need to better understand her child.

• It emphasizes the speaker’s need for the mother’s guidance.

What creates suspense in stanza two ?

• the truth will be revealed if the speaker dies

• The speaker having to learn to dance

• The speaker having to learn to dance

• he speaker saying that nobody stops to think about his/her side of it.

In "Hanging Fire" where is the speakers mother?

• in the bedroom

• out of town

• next door

• by her side

In “Hanging Fire,” what does the speaker think about?

• vacation, wearing braces, her boyfriend

• dying, wearing braces, the boy she likes

• failing a test, her sister, the boy she likes

• the school dance, her sister, death

What is the best way to describe the speaker in “Hanging Fire”?

• prepared

• lonely and overwhelmed

• joyous

• enthusiastic

Why is “Hanging Fire” considered a lyric poem?

• It presents a focused, powerful impression of its speaker.

• It rhymes

• It is written in stanzas

• It tells a true story about the poet