Question

The old moon is tarnished

With smoke of the flood,
The dead leaves are varnished
With color like blood,

A treacherous smiler 5
With teeth white as milk,
A savage beguiler
In sheathings of silk,

To what does the simile "teeth white as milk" found in the second stanza of the poem most likely refer?
A) the man in the moon
B) a great white shark
C) the foam on the waves
D) The darkness of the sea

Answer 1

The simile 'teeth white as milk' compares to something pure white, suggesting danger in beauty—not directly referencing the provided options but closest to C) the foam on the waves.

Step-by-step explanation:

The simile "teeth white as milk" found in the second stanza of the poem is a descriptive literary device used to draw a comparison with something that has pure white color, suggesting brightness and perhaps a sense of danger cloaked in innocence or beauty, given the context of a "treacherous smiler" and a "savage beguiler." While the poem is open to interpretation, none of the specific options (man in the moon, great white shark, the foam on the waves, the darkness of the sea) is clearly referenced in the given excerpts. However, if this simile is connected to any of the provided choices, it would most closely resemble option C) the foam on the waves, which can be seen as having the white appearance of milk and is often associated with the ocean, a recurring theme in the provided texts. The other options either do not have a physical form that could be described as having teeth, or their connection to the simile is less direct based on the given context.

Answer 2

The simile "teeth white as milk" found in the second stanza of the poem most likely refers to C. the foam on the waves.
The man in the moon makes no sense, since the poem is talking about the sea. A great white shark would be a silly answer. The darkness of the sea is also incorrect because that can't be white if it's dark. So, the foam on the waves, which is white, by the way, is the correct answer.