Question

From Maiden and River

MAIDEN-River, why in ceaseless flow Must you ripple to and fro? Stop a while. Lonely on thy bank I stand, On your shining, pebbly strand. Canst thou not a moment stay Through the long, long summer day? Stop a while. RIVER-Child of earth dost thou not know Ne'er can cease my endless flow? I must go. Onward till I reach my outlet. Out beyond the golden sunset. Seek not then to stay my flowing. Onward still I must be going To my goal.

Which statement best describes how the structure of the poem contributes to its meaning?
1. The rhymes in the paired lines emphasize each speaker's view about resting or moving forward.
2. The contrast of short and long lines mimics each speaker's view about resting or moving forward.
3. In a long speech, one speaker presents two different viewpoints about resting or moving forward.
4. In each stanza, a different speaker expresses an opposing viewpoint about resting or moving forward.​

Answer 1

Answer: The statement that best describes how the structure of the poem contributes to its meaning is "The rhymes in the paired lines emphasize each speaker's view about resting or moving forward." The rhyme scheme and the repetition of the phrase "Stop a while" in Maiden's lines, as well as the repeated phrase "Onward still" in River's lines, create a contrast between the two speakers' viewpoints on resting or moving forward. The structure of the poem emphasizes the tension and opposition between the two speakers, and their different perspectives on the nature of time, movement, and rest.