Old Ironsides Oliver Wendell Holmes Ay, tear her tattered ensign down! Long has it waved on high, And many an eye has danced to see That banner in the sky; Beneath it rung the battle shout,5 And burst the cannon's roar; -- The meteor of the ocean air Shall sweep the clouds no more. Her deck, once red with heroes' blood, Where knelt the vanquished foe,10 When winds were hurrying o'er the flood, And waves were white below, No more shall feel the victor's tread, Or know the conquered knee; -- The harpies of the shore shall pluck15 The eagle of the sea! Oh, better that her shattered hulk Should sink beneath the wave; Her thunders shook the mighty deep, And there should be her grave;20 Nail to the mast her holy flag, Set every threadbare sail, And give her to the god of storms, The lightning and the gale.
5)
What is this poem about?
A)
a battle in which a ship sinks in a storm
B)
a ship that survives a battle but is lost at sea
C)
a battle in which the American flag is destroyed
D)
a battleship that has reached the end of its career
6)
What is the focus of the third stanza?
A)
The speaker envisions a fitting end for the ship.
B)
The speaker drives away his memories of the ship.
C)
The speaker describes the ship’s last battle.
D)
The speaker remembers the storm that destroyed the ship.
7)
Which of these BEST describes a theme of this poem?
A)
loss of innocence
B)
nature's fury and power
C)
pride in battle and death
D)
romantic love lost in battle
