Question 1: What is the significance of the opening line 'There was once a country' in establishing the poem's tone and perspective?

Answer: It introduces a sense of nostalgia and suggests a personal, possibly subjective view of the country, setting a reflective tone.

Question 2: Identify and explain the metaphor in the line 'My city takes me dancing through shadow and fire.' How does this reflect the speaker's emotional connection?

Answer: The metaphor compares the city to a place of vivid, possibly dangerous memories, symbolizing the speaker's deep emotional ties and conflicted feelings.

Question 3: Analyze the line 'They accuse me of being dark in my language.' What might this suggest about the speaker's identity or experience?

Answer: It suggests a sense of being misunderstood or judged, possibly reflecting cultural or political tensions affecting the speaker.

Question 4: How does the poet use contrast between 'light' and 'dark' in the poem? Provide at least two examples and interpret their effect.

Answer: The contrast highlights internal conflict and societal judgments, emphasizing themes of identity and belonging.

Question 5: Quote Explosion: Examine the line 'My city takes me dancing through shadow and fire.' What are the connotations of 'shadow' and 'fire,' and how do they shape your understanding of the speaker’s experience?

Answer: Shadow suggests mystery, danger, or the past, while fire symbolizes passion, destruction, or upheaval. Together, they depict a tumultuous emotional landscape.

Question 6: Identify a line that illustrates the theme of memory versus reality. Explain how the language contributes to this contrast.

Answer: Line: 'They forget my name.' The language suggests loss and forgetting, contrasting the vivid memories the speaker holds with how others perceive or dismiss them.

Question 7: Discuss the structure of the poem. How does the free verse form influence the reader’s perception of the speaker’s narrative?

Answer: The lack of a fixed rhyme scheme or meter creates a conversational, personal tone, making the speaker's feelings more immediate and authentic.

Question 8: Compare the portrayal of power or control in 'The Emigrée' with that in 'Ozymandias'. How does each poem comment on authority?

Answer: While 'Ozymandias' depicts the fall of oppressive power through the ruined statue, 'The Emigrée' shows a personal, internalized sense of power rooted in memory and identity, despite external conflict.

Question 9: What is the effect of the recurring theme of light in the poem? How does Rumens use imagery to evoke hope or nostalgia?

Answer: Imagery of light symbolizes hope, memory, or clarity, contrasting with darkness and suggesting resilience despite hardship.

Question 10: Extended Response: Plan an analytical paragraph discussing how Rumens constructs a sense of identity through her use of language and structure in the poem.

Answer: Students should consider the use of personal pronouns, imagery, free verse structure, and metaphors to show how Rumens explores themes of memory, homeland, and internal conflict, ultimately shaping a complex sense of identity.