My heart, I cannot still it,
Nest that had song-birds in it;
And when the last shall go,
The dreary days, to fill it,
Instead of lark or linnet,
Shall whirl dead leaves and snow.
— “Auspex”
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
— “A Psalm of Life“
What tells you that the word “heart” is important in both poems? Analyze word choice, imagery, and structure.
A. The word “heart” is important to each poem’s rhyme scheme and relates to a theme.
B. The word “heart” is a stressed syllable in each poem and part of a key image related to the theme.
C. The word “heart” creates an end rhyme in each poem, and the heart image is concrete and personal.
D. The word “heart” appears in enjambed lines in each poem, emphasizing its importance.