Poetry questions due by Friday

Poetry English 2202


Housecleaning
By Nikki Giovanni

i always liked house cleaning
even as a child
i dug straightening
the cabinets

putting new paper on
the shelves
washing out the refrigerator
inside out

and unfortunately this habit has
carried over and I find
i must remove you
from my life



How Heavy the Days
By Hermann Hesse

How heavy the days are.
There’s not a fire that can warm me,
Not a sun to laugh with me,
Everything bare,
Everything cold and merciless,
And even the beloved, clear
Stars look desolately down,
Since I learned in my heart
Love can die.

1. How many stanzas are in the first poem, “Housecleaning?”

2. In the first poem, “Housecleaning” the speaker says, “….I must remove you/from my life.” Whom do you think the speaker is addressing?

3. In the first poem, “Housecleaning” what connection do you see between housecleaning and the speaker’s decision?

4. In the first poem, “Housecleaning” do you think the author is angry? Calm? Matter of fact? What words would you use to describe the tone of the poem?

5. What is the difference between the tone of the poem, “How Heavy the Days” and “Housekeeping?”

6. In the second poem, “How Heavy the Days” what might have happened to make the author feel this way? Do you think it had just happened or did it happen a long time ago?