Question

I need help please!!

Read the excerpt from the poem "The Arrow and the Song" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Then, answer the question that follows

I shot an arrow into the air, It fell to earth, I knew not where; For, so swiftly it flew the sight Could not follow it in its flight

I breathed a song into the air,

It fell to earth, I knew not where, For who has sight so keen and strong, That it can follow the flight of song?

Long, long afterward, in an oak I found the arrow, still unbroke And the song, from beginning to end, I found again in the heart of a friend

Which of the following statements best explains the poet's use of figurative language?

Answer 1

"The poet uses a metaphor to compare a poem to an arrow, saying that the writer never knows to whom it will mean something."

In the poem, the poet compares a poem to an arrow that is shot into the air. Just as the arrow falls and the poet does not know where it lands, the poet also states that when they "breathe a song into the air," they do not know where it falls or who it will touch. This metaphorical comparison suggests that the impact and interpretation of a poem are unpredictable, much like the flight and destination of an arrow. It conveys the idea that once a poem is released or shared, its reception and significance can be beyond the poet's control, as it may resonate with someone unexpected or be found again in the heart of a friend.

Step-by-step explanation: