Carry by Linda Hogan

What theme about our connection with nature does the poem convey?

All living things are part of nature. We are sustained by nature and ultimately ended by it. Nature provided the fish as life-sustaining food for the hawk, yet the fish ultimately led the hawk to its death.

The sensory details in lines 15-23 gives a positive view of the water. How does it help engage readers in the poem?

Gives the reader a sense that the water is a living, vibrant thing.

What does it mean when the water is "working everything down"?

Many things are under the water's surface

What does the water symbolize?

Nature (its life-given abundance and ability to deal out death)

What happened to the hawk?

The fish pulled down the hawk into the water and drowned it. Therefore, it died!

Towards the end of the poem, what does the water want?

The water wants those who would swallow it to come to it.

Why is the fact that the fish killed the hawk unexpected?

The weaker prey is often killed by the stronger predator, so the fish survives. PART OF FOOD CHAIN!!!

In the poem, what does the author mean when she says that "water is never lonely"?

Water is not empty and many things can be found beneath the surface, like the fish and hawk.

"Water's broken mirror" meaning?

When you look at the water, you could see your and the background's reflection, like how you could see your reflection in the mirror. When the fish was pulled out from its habitat, the water shook. When a mirror shakes, it would break. (metaphor)

Simile

a comparison using "like" or "as"

When a fish was pulled out of the water along with a dead hawk, what mood/emotion did the image in the stanza create?

a somber and heavy mood

undertow

a strong current below the surface of the water

Symbolism

an object that represents an idea

What does the water have to offer?

it offers to calmly and softly carry those who want to swallow it into a deeper, older, and stronger world that is not known or dreamed about by those above the water's surface.

The fish killing the hawk is an example of _______________.

situational irony

Theme

the central idea of a work

Metaphor

unlike a simile, it is a comparison without the use of "like" and "as"

Personification

when an inanimate object is given human characteristics