An awful tempest mashed the air
Emily Dickinson
An awful tempest mashed the air,
The clouds were gaunt and few;
A Black, as of a spectre's cloak,
Hid heaven and earth from view.
The creatures chuckled on the roofs5
And whistled in the air,
And shook their fists and gnashed their teeth,
And swung their frenzied hair.
The morning lit, the birds arose;
The monster's faded eyes10
Turned slowly to his native coast,
And peace was Paradise!
Question
What inference can you make by contrasting the ideas in the first two stanzas of the poem to the last stanza?
Responses
A The speaker is fascinated by the tempest, but glad to see it leave.The speaker is fascinated by the tempest, but glad to see it leave.
B The awful tempest is fearful at first, then saddened by the morning sun.The awful tempest is fearful at first, then saddened by the morning sun.
C The awful tempest is saddened at first, then fearful of the morning sun.The awful tempest is saddened at first, then fearful of the morning sun.
D The awful tempest rages all night long and terrifies the speaker of the poem.The awful tempest rages all night long and terrifies the speaker of the poem.