Answer:
I believe the best choice is:
D. All of the above.
Step-by-step explanation:
Let's take a brief look at the poem "David's Old Soul", by Nikki Grimes:
As far back as I can remember, my
mother has called me “an old soul.”
I never understood. But now that our family has
dwindled to just Mom and us kids, I’ve grown
into a man. You do what you have to. “David, dig deep,”
is the whisper in my ear. So I stand strong like
a tree my baby brothers can lean on. I try to be the
raft that helps carry them over this life’s rough rivers.
The speaker of the poem realizes the need to be strong, to grow "into a man". His mother and his baby brothers need him to be reliable, now that it is only them, now that their family has "dwindled". He is trying to show readers he has a crucial role in his family. His strength and determination create a solid foundation for his mother and brothers to support themselves upon. The speaker's own life is compared to a raft. He is the one carrying everyone, facing the current while keeping them safe. For that reason, all of the options are correct, which leads us to choose letter D. All of the above.