Question

Read the poem below and complete the instruction that follows.



“Autumn Gilt”
by Valerie Bloom

The late September sunshine
Lime green on the linden leaves
Burns bronze on the slated roof-tops,
Yellow on the farmer’s last sheaves.

It flares flame-like on the fire hydrant,
Is ebony on the blackbird’s wing,
Blue beryl on the face of the ocean,
Glints gold on the bride’s wedding ring.

A sparkling rainbow on the stained-glass window,
It’s a silver sheen on the kitchen sink,
The late September sunshine
Is a chameleon, I think.

Source: Bloom, Valerie. “Autumn Gilt.” Let Me Touch the Sky. New York: MacMillan Children’s Books, 2000. The Poetry Archive. Web. 7 June 2011.



Analyze the use of figurative and literal language, poetic techniques, and sound devices in this poem. Refer to specific lines in your answer.

Answer 1

The poem Autumn gilt uses vivid imagery and careful word choice to convey the beauty of autumn. 
The fourth and second lines of each stanza rhyme and the poet uses an irregular rhythm. Alliteration is the best and regular technique in this poem. It can be see in lines "September sunshine/Lime green on the linden leaves/Burns bronze" with the repeated "s," "l," and "b" sounds. 
A dominant example is found in the first line of the second stanza: "It flares flame-like on the fire hydrant." The poet is using both literal and figurative language throughout the poem. She observes the sun shining on various things (literally) and uses vivid imagery to emphasize the beauty she finds in this autumn day. Figurative language is found in her descriptions. 

Answer 2

Sample Response: This poem uses vivid imagery and careful word choice to convey the beauty of autumn. The second and fourth lines of each stanza rhyme and the poet uses irregular rhythm. Alliteration is a regular technique in this poem. We see it in the lines “September sunshine/Lime green on the linden leaves/Burns bronze” with the repeated “s,” “l,” and “b” sounds. A dominant example is found in the first line of the second stanza: “It flares flame-like on the fire hydrant.” The poet is using both literal and figurative language throughout the poem. She observes the sun shining on various things (literally) and uses vivid imagery to emphasize the beauty she finds in this autumn day. Figurative language is found in her descriptions. She says the sunshine “flares flame-like on the fire hydrant,” using a simile to show how brightly it shines. She ends with a metaphor comparing the September sunshine to a chameleon.