1 What collection was "The Thing Is" published in? Indigo Like a Beggar Mules of Love The Human Line 2 What year did the collection in which "The Thing Is" was first published come out? 2010 2002 1977 2018 3 Which best describes what "The Thing Is" is about? The speaker tells her lover to bring over her pain. The speaker holds her despair the way she held her babies when they were young. The speaker describes God like a disappointed and grieving parent. The speaker instructs readers to love life even amidst the difficult heaviness of grief. 4 What award did Mules of Love receive? Nobel Peace Prize Rattle Poetry Prize Lambda Literary Award Pulitzer Prize 5 Which is not a theme in "The Thing Is"? Loving Life Grief and the Body Avoiding Grief Resilience and Agency 6 How does the concept of resilience appear in the poem? The speaker argues that one must choose to love life even in difficult circumstances. Resilience does not appear as a concept in the poem. The word "resilience" appears twice in quick succession. The speaker argues that readers should succumb to their grief. 7 How does Bass write about the body in "The Thing Is?" The human body does not appear in the poem. Not only does experiencing grief affect various parts of the human body, but grief is given its own bodily presence in the poem. The body is extremely fragile and cannot handle the weight of grief. Grief wrecks the human body and should be avoided at all cost. 8 How is life personified in the poem? As a figure that sits with you. As tropical heat. As having a "plain face" with "no charming smile" or "violet eyes." As an enemy. 9 Define "violet." Another word for violence A bluish-purple color A shade of red A flower 10 Which is not a symbol in the poem? Stomach Tropical Heat Lambs Burnt Paper 11 Which best characterizes the voices in Bass's poems? Shrewd, Ironic Conversational, Accessible Bitter, Pensive Joyful, Celebratory 12 Which points of view appear in "The Thing Is"? First Person Second Person Third Person All of the perspectives 13 What is the poem's meter? Blank Verse Free verse Iambic Pentameter Iambic Tetrameter 14 Which quote contains an example of alliteration? "crumbles like burnt paper in your hands" "Then you hold life like a face" "and everything you’ve held dear" "to love life, to love it even" 15 Which quote contains an example of assonance? "when you have no stomach for it" "When grief sits with you, its tropical heat" "your throat filled with the silt of it" "only more of it, an obesity of grief," 16 What is an example of irony in this poem? Bass does not use irony in this poem. When grief is portrayed as tropical heat. When everything dear crumbles like burnt paper. When the air of grief is more fit for gills than lungs. 17 Which best describes the tone of the poem? Pensive, Resentful, Prideful Hopeful, Optimistic, Submissive Bitter, Resentful, Rageful Optimistic, Resilient, Loving 18 Finish this quote: "when grief weights you down___" as if you are pummeled like your life like your own flesh like a weight 19 What is the poem's thesis? One should choose to love life in any circumstances, including grief. One should have a charming smile to make good impressions. One should hold grief like the face of a lover. One should avoid grief at all cost. 20 Which is one way that grief is not characterized? A presence that sits with you. An overabundance of flesh. A baby to be held. Tropical heat. 21 Which is an anaphora in the poem? I will Then you Thickening The thing is 22 What is personified in the poem? Grief and Life Life Grief Love 23 What does the phrase "the thing is" mean? It is part of the Pledge of Allegiance. It is used in formal settings. It is used to introduce an explanation or issue. It is used in the court of law to introduce a case. 24 What is something that Bass has expressed is important to her in terms of her poetic craft? Denial Nature Transformation Despair 25 Bass calls herself a(n) ___ poet. praise historical fake Instagram