Eating Poetry by Mark Strand EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 🐕

Figure of Speech in the Title00:00:07

The title "Eating Poetry" uses a metaphor. The speaker compares intensive reading of poetry to eating it, without using "like" or "as".

Symbolism of the Librarian00:02:00

The librarian symbolizes people who witness others' passion and enjoyment but cannot understand or experience it themselves, despite being surrounded by what they should love. This contrasts with the stereotype of a librarian as a bookworm.

Events from the Librarian's Perspective00:02:54

From the librarian's perspective, she is shocked to see the speaker eating poetry. When the speaker starts behaving strangely, she stamps her feet and weeps, then screams when he licks her hand like a dog. She's frightened and doesn't understand his behavior.

Idea Conveyed in the First and Last Stanzas00:03:31

The poet conveys the idea of the speaker's happiness in both the first and last stanzas, using phrases like "no happiness like mine" and "romp with joy."

Effects of Eating Poetry on the Speaker00:03:55

Eating poetry makes the speaker extremely happy, transforms him into a new man, and affects his behavior, causing him to act like a dog, snarling and barking.

Change in Mood in Lines 9-1200:04:29

The initial light-hearted and joyful mood shifts to chaotic and horrific as the speaker describes scary dogs coming up the basement stairs, changing the atmosphere of the poem.

Overall Tone of the Poem00:05:06

The overall tone of the poem is joyful, exuberant, and liberating.

Why the Poem is Labeled Surreal00:05:16

The poem is labeled as surreal due to its strange and dream-like imagery, such as the speaker literally eating poetry and the nightmarish descriptions of dogs with rolling eyeballs, making it seem like a dream or nightmare.

What Happened to the Speaker in Stanzas 1 and 200:00:40

The speaker is caught eating poetry (metaphorically reading it) in the library by the librarian. Supporting quotes include "The librarian does not believe what she sees" and "I have been eating poetry."

Meaning of "Gone" in Line 700:01:37

In terms of the extended metaphor, when the poem states the poems are "gone," it means they have all been eaten or read by the speaker.