Question

Read the excerpt from "Poetry." I, too, dislike it: there are things that are important beyond all this fiddle. Reading it, however, with a perfect contempt for it, one discovers in it after all, a place for the genuine. Hands that can grasp, eyes that can dilate, hair that can rise if it must, these things are important not because a high-sounding interpretation can be put upon them but because they are useful. What theme does this excerpt best express?

A) Poetry is dull except when written in free verse.
B) Poetry is interesting when it is authentic.
C) Poetry is interesting only to the author of the poem.
D) Poetry is often a mirror of human behavior.

Answer 1

The poem excerpt expresses the theme that poetry is significant and interesting when it possesses authenticity and genuinely reflects human experience, rather than being valued for grand interpretations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt from the poem 'Poetry' suggests a theme that poetry holds intrinsic value when it embodies authenticity and genuine emotions. The passage implies that while poetry may not always be immediately appreciated, it gains importance and significance through its ability to capture the essence of real experiences and emotions. The reference to simple, tangible things like 'Hands that can grasp, eyes that can dilate, hair that can rise if it must,' underlines the poet's emphasis on the practical and essentially human aspects of experience as being important to poetry, not because they lend themselves to grand interpretations, but because they are a real and useful part of human life. The understanding is that poetry should resonate with authenticity, allowing readers to connect with the piece on a personal level, and this resonance is not restricted to a single verse form or style. Instead, genuine engagement with the material and the crafting of a poem that evokes true feelings in the reader is what categorizes poetry as interesting.

Answer 2

B. poetry is interesting when it is Authentic.