Question

solo spring
by patricia clements

staring out my kitchen window
i view the ageless, golden sun,
sky spotted with heavenly clouds,
trees reaching tall and proud with
tender, emerald shoots of spring leaves.
daffodils poke through the ground
announcing springs arrival;
they look like gentle soldiers
evenly rowed up
their saffron bells calling to me.
fat-gutted robins parade around
the dripping, dew-dampened lawn,
tearing pink-gray worms
from safe shelter,
chirping salutations to friends
who wintered elsewhere.

spring beckons me,
entices me into its intimate embrace.
though my eyes rest on this eternal
wonder,
i know youre gone,
and nothing is the same.

the reader can conclude that the speaker

a. plans to walk outside.
b. has lost a loved one.
c. talks to the birds.
d. picks bouquets of flowers.

Explanation:

Analyze the poem's imagery

The poem "Solo Spring" by Patricia Clements begins with the speaker looking out of a kitchen window at a vibrant spring scene. The speaker describes the sun, clouds, trees, daffodils, robins, and worms. This imagery establishes a contrast between the lively, renewing world outside and the speaker's internal state.

Examine the final stanza

The final stanza shifts from observing nature to the speaker's personal feelings:
"Spring beckons me,
entices me into its intimate embrace.
Though my eyes rest on this eternal
wonder,
I know you're gone,
and nothing is the same."

Evaluate the options

• A. plans to walk outside: While spring "beckons" and "entices" the speaker, the core emotional conclusion of the poem is not about a plan to walk, but rather the grief expressed in the final lines.
• B. has lost a loved one: The lines "I know you're gone, / and nothing is the same" combined with the title "Solo Spring" strongly support the inference that the speaker is grieving the loss of someone close.
• C. talks to the birds: The poem mentions robins "chirping salutations to friends," but there is no evidence that the speaker talks to them.
• D. picks bouquets of flowers: The speaker observes daffodils poking through the ground but does not pick them.

Formulate the final conclusion

The most direct and significant conclusion supported by the text is that the speaker is experiencing the loss of a loved one, making Option B the correct choice.

Answer:

• A. plans to walk outside.
• B. has lost a loved one. (Correct answer)
• C. talks to the birds.
• D. picks bouquets of flowers.