“LXV [Once, I knew a fine song]” by Stephen Crane
Once, I knew a fine song,
—It is true, believe me,—
It was all of birds,
And I held them in a basket;
When I opened the wicket,
Heavens! They all flew away.
I cried, “Come back, little thoughts!”
But they only laughed.
They flew on
Until they were as sand
Thrown between me and the sky.
What is the purpose of the sound devices in lines 4–6? (1 point)
Responses
The onomatopoeia makes reader feel closer to and present for the birds' movement.
The assonance shows the sound of the speaker's feet as he moves to free the birds.
The cacophony illustrates that the speaker has mixed feelings about opening the basket.
The alliteration demonstrates the speaker is lighthearted about his decision to let the birds go.
The consonance emphasizes the regularity of the speaker's movements to contrast them with the birds'.