Question

Read the following poem and identify the appropriate options: 

And search 
for certain thin – 
stemmed, bubble-eyed water bugs. 
See them perch 
on dry capillary legs 
weightless 
on the ripple skin 
of a stream. 
No, not only prophets 
walk on water. This bug sits 
on a landslide of lights 
and drowns eye – 
deep 
into its tiny strip 
of sky. 

• A. It uses free verse form.
• B. It employs imagery.
• C. It uses the iambic pentameter.
• D. It juxtaposes the non-human with the human.

Hint:

When analyzing poetry, look for forms, imagery, and contrasts between the natural and human worlds. These elements reveal much about the poem's style and meaning.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, B, D

Step 1: Analyze the form.
The poem does not follow a strict metrical pattern, nor does it rely on rhyme. It is written in free verse, which is characteristic of modern poetry. This rules out the use of a fixed meter, such as iambic pentameter (option C).

Step 2: Examine the imagery.
The poem vividly describes water bugs perched on the surface of a stream and uses phrases like "bubble-eyed," "ripple skin," "lands of lights," and "tiny strip of sky." These evoke visual, tactile, and sensory images, which means the poem employs rich imagery (option B).

Step 3: Consider the juxtaposition of the non-human with the human.
The poem contrasts the natural world (the water bug) with human-like concepts. The phrase "not only prophets walk on water" anthropomorphizes the bug, implying a human-like significance to its action. This juxtaposes the non-human with the human (option D). Thus, the correct options are (A), (B), and (D). \[ \boxed{\text{Correct answers: (A), (B), (D)}} \]