Question

"The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over the harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on." In what way does the language used in this poem challenge traditional ideas of what poetry should be?

(a) Use of traditional rhyme schemes
(b) Conventional meter and structure
(c) Unconventional imagery and personification
(d) Standard narrative style

Answer 1

The poem challenges traditional poetry by using unconventional imagery and personification, deviating from the traditional rhyme and meter, and employing a unique narrative style.

Step-by-step explanation:

The language used in the poem referenced challenges traditional ideas of poetry through the use of unconventional imagery and personification. Instead of adhering to traditional rhyme schemes or conventional meter and structure, the poem employs a more freeform style that is characteristic of modernist text, focusing on vivid imagery and the personification of fog to create a certain mood and atmosphere.

This can be seen in the comparison of fog with a cat, which is an example of a fresh and original use of language that goes beyond strictly grammatical construction to evoke emotions in the reader. Furthermore, the absence of a standard narrative style pushes the boundaries of what would traditionally be considered poetry.