Figurative Language Poem 6

from X
By Emily Dickinson
A precious, mouldering1 pleasure 't is
To meet an antique book,
In just the dress his century wore;
A privilege, I think,
His venerable hand to take,
And warming in our own,
A passage back, or two, to make
To times when he was young.
His quaint opinions to inspect,
His knowledge to unfold
On what concerns our mutual mind,
The literature of old;

XXI
By Emily Dickinson
He ate and drank the precious words,
His spirit grew robust;
He knew no more that he was poor,
Nor that his frame was dust.
He danced along the dingy days,
And this bequest3 of wings
Was but a book. What liberty
A loosened spirit brings!
1. Slowly decay or disintegrate
2. Fine parchment made from calf skin.
3. Pass something on to someone else

His presence is enchantment,

You beg him not to go;
Old volumes shake their vellum2 heads
And tantalize, just so.

Review Questions

Directions: Respond to these questions to the best of your ability. Answer the questions
completely. If you need more space, use the back or a separate sheet.
1. Identify two examples of personification: explain what is being personified in each example.
The following examples are ways in which the book in X to which the speaker refers is
personified:
To meet an antique book, In just the dress his century wore;
His venerable hand to take,
To times when he was young.
His quaint opinions to inspect,
His knowledge to unfold
Old volumes shake their vellum heads
2. Identify three examples of metaphor: explain which two things are being compared in each
example.
He ate and drank the precious words: words are implicitly compared to food and drink.
Nor that his frame was dust: his mortal body is implictly compared to dust.
And this bequest of wings: the freedom of his spirit is compared to wings
Students may also cite the following, and I would give them credit:
His presence is enchantment,
A precious, mouldering pleasure 't is / To meet an antique book,
1

3. Find two examples of alliteration. List the alliterative words.

mutual mind,
knew no
danced along the dingy days,
bequest of wings / Was but a book
liberty / A loosened
4. What tone does the speaker use in these poems? How does the speaker feel about the subjects
of these poems? Use evidence from the text to explain your answer.
The tone is wonderous, reverent, venerating, respectful...
The speaker holds books in high regard.
There are many examples of this tone. Here are some word choices that demonstrate this tone:
pleasure, privilege, venerable, warming, tantalize, precious, liberty...
5. What does the speaker mean by the following lines from XXI, "He knew no more that he was
poor, /
Nor that his frame was dust." Why is the man unaware that he is poor? What is meant by "dust
frame"?
The man is not poor because he is rich in knowledge and culture.
Since the man is mortal and will surely die, his frame, or body, is little more than dust. In other
words, this line expresses the temporal state of all living creatures, but the joy of reading has
caused the man to disregard this ever present fact.
6. Compare and contrast these two poems. How are they similar and different?
Both of these poems are about books. One focuses on the books themselves; the other describes
the benefits of reading. One uses lots of personification; the other uses a lot of metaphor.

Figurative Language Poem 6: from X and XXI by Emily Dickinson This worksheet is
actually two poems, each of which is about books. They compliment one another really well.
These poems contain numerous examples of personification, metaphor, and alliteration; more
importantly, they promote literacy. Together, these poems contain metaphor, personification,
and alliteration.