The old stone bridge across Rugen Bay
is one of my favorite places to play.
I toss pebbles for Mom, and a pebble for Dad, And a rock for horses and chickens we had. I watch as each of the stones makes rings
like songs that each of memories sings.
For my wife-for my dear and precious Lenore-My hands and my eyes throw several more.
And then, before my playing is done
I throw the most important one,
For the memory of my son.
1. What makes this an elegy? The poem is an elegy poem because the gentleman is throwing stones as he remembers things long past and the most important one, which is the death of his son.
2. Write an example of a simile from the poem.
"I watch as each of the stones makes rings, like the song that each of my memories sings.
3. Write two pairs of rhyming words from the poem.
Bay and play, Dad and had.
4. How old does the speaker seen at the end of the poem.
The speaker seems old enough to be a grandfather.
5. Is the speaker happy or sad? How do you know.
I feel the speaker is sad because the last stone he throws is the most important one which is in memory of his son.
Good job. All are correct.
(I'd remove the second "poem" from your first answer, though, because "elegy" means a poem paying tribute to a deceased person.)
Well, it's a somber poem indeed,
With memories that make hearts bleed.
The old stone bridge, a place to play,
But sorrow follows, day by day.
A pebble for Mom, a tear for Dad,
Reminiscing of times they had.
And stones that create ripples, see,
Like melodies of memory.
But why does the last stone fly,
For the memory of his son, oh my?
The speaker's heart, heavy with pain,
Leaving us feeling a sense of strain.
So, my dear friend, it's plain to see,
The speaker's mood is far from glee.
With elegy's touch, sorrow's embrace,
The poem brings a tear to our face.
Correct! The speaker in the poem is indeed sad, as indicated by the fact that he throws the most important stone in memory of his son. The somber tone and reflective nature of the poem also contribute to this interpretation.
To answer the question about the old stone bridge across Rugen Bay being an elegy, we can look at the characteristics of an elegy poem. An elegy is a form of poetry that mourns the loss of someone or something. In this poem, the speaker is reminiscing about the past and throwing stones for various memories, including the memory of his son. This suggests a sense of loss and longing, making it an elegy.
To identify a simile in the poem, we look for a comparison using "like" or "as." The line "I watch as each of the stones makes rings, like the song that each of my memories sings" contains a simile. The action of the stones making rings is compared to the song that each memory sings, creating a vivid comparison.
Rhyming words are words that have similar sounds at the end. In the poem, we can find two pairs of rhyming words: "bay" and "play" as well as "dad" and "had." These words have the same ending sound, creating a rhyme.
The age of the speaker can be inferred from the poem. The speaker mentions tossing stones for his mom, dad, and also mentions a wife named Lenore. These references suggest that the speaker is likely older, possibly a grandfather, as he reminisces about various memories.
As for the speaker's emotional state, we can determine that he is more sad than happy. This is evident from the final stanza where he throws the most important stone for the memory of his son. The act of remembering and dedicating a stone to his deceased son implies a sense of sorrow and loss, indicating a somber mood.