Final answer:
Compare and contrast assignments in poetry help us understand different approaches to similar subjects.
Step-by-step explanation:
Compare and contrast assignments in poetry are common because they help us understand different approaches to similar subjects. By examining poems that treat the same theme or topic differently, we can gain insight into the choices made by the poets. For example, analyzing Anne Brontë's 'Home' and Grace Nichols's 'Wherever I Hang' can enhance our understanding of both poems' treatment of exile.