Question

Read these lines from "It Sifts from Leaden Sieves.”

It sifts from Leaden Sieves —
It powders all the Wood.
It fills with Alabaster Wool
The Wrinkles of the Road —

How do these lines develop the theme that nature has power over human efforts?

They suggest either snow or rain, but the deeper meaning of decay over time is clear, too.

They depict a lot of rain from a leaden (gray) sky that smooths the wrinkles in an old dirt road.

They compare snow to a natural substance (wool) and illustrate it covering the road, a symbol of human progress.

They suggest the madness that eventually overtook the author of the poem.

Answer 1

The poem's lines represent nature's dominance over human constructs by illustrating snow covering a road, subtly asserting nature's ultimate power.

Step-by-step explanation:

The lines from "It Sifts from Leaden Sieves" develop the theme that nature has power over human efforts by symbolically showcasing how natural elements like snow cover the creations of man, such as roads. This suggests that, despite humanity's attempts to assert control, nature ultimately has the dominating force. The covering of 'the wrinkles of the road' by the 'alabaster wool' can be interpreted as nature's softening and eventual overcoming of the human-made environment. In broader literature, such themes are frequently explored, detailing how nature's power can overshadow human industry and progress, as seen in the collective text provided.

Answer 2

They compare snow to a natural substance (wool) and illustrate it covering the road, a symbol of human progress.

Step-by-step explanation:

**The one highlighted in blue is the correct answer**