Question

Read the poem Life by George Herbert Then, answer the question Farewell , dear flowers , sweetly your time ye spent Fit, while ye lived, for smell or ornament, And after death for cures. I follow straight without complaints or grief , Since if my scent be good , I care not , if It be as short as yours.

What aspect of the poem's style or theme indicates that it is most likely a metaphysical poem ?
A.)its focus on life and death
B .) its pattern of rhyme
C.) its use of old - fashioned words
D.) use of an image from nature.

Answer 1

The aspect of the poem's style of theme that indicates that it is most likely a metaphysical poem is:

A) its focus on life and death.

Step-by-step explanation:

Metaphysical poems often present complex thoughts, a rigidity of expression and paradoxes. Even the imagery used in the poems can be quite out of place.

In the case of this particular poem, the speaker is using the death of flowers as fuel for his complex ideas concerning life and death. He analyzes how sweetly time has led those flowers to die and how, during the short period they were alive, they fulfilled a purpose. His reflections upon the subject lead him to conclude that he wishes to be like those flowers. Even if he doesn't get to live for long, he will be satisfied if he fulfills his potential in life. That complexity of thought and the manner in which it is expressed is an aspect of metaphysical poetry.