NAQT Poetry Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• Who is referred to as the first African-American poet to be published in America?
• Which work is attributed to Henry James?
• Which poem starts with the line "I, being born a woman and distressed"?
• What literary device is most prevalent in Dickinson's poem "A narrow fellow in the grass"?
• Who is the author of "Marriage a la Mode"?
• Which poem by Horace deals with the themes of poetry and art?
• Which poet's work is characterized by mental illness and personal trauma?
• Which poet is known for exploring themes of death and resurrection in their poetry?
• What emotional state is reflected in Dickinson's line "He kindly stopped for me"?
• Who wrote the poem "Thanatopis"?
• What is the emotional tone of the line "The curfew tolls the knell of parting day"?
• Which poem reflects the intersection of personal narrative and socio-political commentary?
• Which poet is associated with the works "Requiem" and "Poem Without a Hero"?
• Who is the author of "A Light in the Attic"?
• Who is the author of "Ghare"?
• Which author was a publisher of "Howl" and founder of the City Lights Bookstore?
• Who is the author of "The Bronze Horseman"?
• Which poet is associated with the poem "The Death of the Hired Man"?
• Which poet often incorporated historical and political themes in their works?
• Which of the following describes Anna Akhmatova’s style of poetry?
• In which poem does a character "singeth loudly his godly hymns / That he makes in the wood"?
• Which author wrote "Snow Country"?
• In which poem does Robert Frost reflect on the theme of childhood innocence?
• In which city did the most famous section of Pound's long work get written?
• Who wrote "The Cantos"?
• In which poem does Whitman address the reader directly, inviting them to share in a communal experience?
• Who wrote the poem "Old Ironsides"?
• Which poem is written by Joyce Kilmer?
• What is a notable theme in many of Sylvia Plath's works?
• Which theme is prevalent in "Funeral Blues"?
• Which of the following works is associated with Lawrence Ferlinghetti?
• What is the significance of "Harmonium" in Wallace Stevens' body of work?
• Which poet wrote "The Home and the World"?
• What significant event featured Robert Frost reading one of his poems?
• Which famous poem was read by Maya Angelou at Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration?
• Which poet is known for starting with "God's Trombones"?
• Which collection consists of a series of interconnected poems reflecting on time and existence?
• Who is the author of the poem "I wandered Lonely as a Cloud"?
• Which poet's work is closely associated with the imagery of an urban metro station?
• What is the title of the two-volume biography written by Carl Sandburg?
• Which work is NOT authored by Edna St. Vincent Millay?
• Which poet is associated with the Modernist movement and renounced American citizenship?
• What theme is most prominent in the works of Robert Frost?
• What does "Let not Ambition mock their useful toil" suggest about ambition's view of labor?
• Which poem begins with the line "Skin as bright as a Nazi lampshade"?
• "Anthem For Doomed Youth" is a work by which poet?
• Which poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson features a character who is discontent with his life?
• What is the English title of Charles Baudelaire's notable collection of poems?
• Which of the following works features the theme of endless longing?
• Which line reflects a sense of futility with "What idle progeny succeed, to chase the rolling circle's speed, or urge the flying ball?"?
• Which poet wrote "Romance, now on the town, and Art, a vagrant"?
• Which poet is associated with the themes of social justice and historical reflection?
• What work includes the poem "Eldorado"?
• "Gitanjali" is written by which of the following poets?
• Who is the author of the line "I have done it again, one year in every ten"?
• Which poet created "The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America"?
• Which famous poet is known for the collection "Leaves of Grass"?
• Which poem addresses themes of war and patriotism with the phrase "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"?
• "Annabel Lee" is a poem by which famous author?
• Which of the following poems was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow?
• Which novel, written by Sinclair Lewis, explores themes of American politics and fascism?
• In which poem does Whitman use the metaphor of a spider to convey themes of persistence and creativity?
• Which novel is written by Jack Kerouac?
• Which poem is known for its depiction of rural life and the themes of nostalgia and nature?
• In which poem does John Donne personify death?
• In which poem does Langston Hughes reference a dream being deferred?
• Which poem includes the famous line, "I have measured out my life with coffee spoons"?
• Which theme predominates in the poem "Grass" by Carl Sandburg?
• What aspect is a hallmark of Petrarch's poetry in the "Canzoniere"?
• Which of Frost's works is notable for its exploration of personal grief and family dynamics?
• "Aurora Leigh" is a poem by which of the following authors?
• What are "Little Tragedies" associated with?
• Which of the following poets is known for their reflective and philosophical works about nature and life?
• Who wrote the poem "First Fig"?
• What literary movement is associated with the poem "Howl"?
• Which poem by T. S. Eliot deals directly with a sense of desolation and modernity?
• What is the main theme of "Crossing Brooklyn Ferry" by Walt Whitman?
• Which poet has their works deeply rooted in Indian heritage and philosophy?
• Which poem is associated with a historic figure riding at midnight to warn of British troops?
• What is a notable theme in T. S. Eliot's "The Hollow Men"?
• Who wrote "The Second Coming" and "Easter, 1916"?
• Which poet is known for the poem "Snowbound"?
• What is the title of the poem by William Carlos Williams that emphasizes the simplicity of a wheelbarrow?
• What subject matter is central to Whitman's "Calamus" collection?
• Which poem reflects on the concept of an uninvited presence during the act of dying?
• In which generation is the poem "Howl" placed?
• What genre does "It Can't Happen Here" primarily belong to?
• Which poet is known for the work "The Emperor of Ice Cream"?
• What is a common characteristic of John Greenleaf Whittier's poetry?
• What recurring element does Hughes use to convey emotions in his poetry?
• What is a common theme found in many works of Eugene O'Neill?
• What metaphor does Dickinson use to describe hope in one of her poems?
• Which of the following works is attributed to Horace?
• Which poem addresses the theme of duality in human experience?
• What was significant about Ezra Pound's "The Cantos" regarding its composition location?
• Which poet is associated with the work "Canzoniere"?
• "Who made thee?" is a line from a poem by which author?
• In which line does the speaker reflect on an unnamed youth resting in death?
• Who had a surreal meeting with Walt Whitman in one of his poems?
• Which poem suggests a relationship with maritime imagery?
• Which poet is credited with coining the phrase "shot heard round the world"?
• Which poem by Yeats reflects on the events surrounding the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland?
• Which poet's work is often celebrated for its use of simple language yet profound meaning?
• What is the central theme of Anna Akhmatova's poetry?
• What is the title of the famous travel work by Matsuo Basho?
• What literary technique is frequently used by E. E. Cummings in his poetry?
• Which poet is known for the poem "A Supermarket in California"?
• Which play was authored by August Wilson?
• Which poet is associated with the poem "Dover Beach"?
• Which poem by Carl Sandburg mentions grass covering battlefields?
• Which poet focused on themes of nature and simplicity in early American poetry?
• What is a central motif in Thomas Gray's poetry?
• Which poet’s themes often reflect the experiences of urban life in America?
• Which poet is associated with the phrase "Out of a grave I come to tell you this"?
• Who wrote the poem "Barbara Frietchie"?
• Which image is not associated with Carl Sandburg's "Chicago"?
• What imagery does Dickinson use in "I heard a fly buzz when I died"?
• Which poet is referred to as "The Belle of Amherst"?
• Which literary figure is associated with the phrase "the best laid schemes o' mice an' men"?
• What emotion is primarily expressed in "O Captain! My Captain!"?
• Who wrote the poem "Annus Mirabilis"?
• In what genre would you classify George Orwell’s "Shooting an Elephant"?
• From which poet do we have the collection called "Les Fleurs Du Mal"?
• In which collection would you primarily find "Richard Cory"?
• Which author is known for his poem "Kaddish" among many others?
• Which poem features a piano player in a Lenox Avenue club?
• Who wrote the line "Big as a Frisch seal"?
• What primary emotion does "Auld Lang Syne" invoke?
• What literary device is heavily used by E.E. Cummings in his poetry?
• Which of the following lines is a work by Emily Dickinson?
• What is a major theme explored in Frost's "Fire and Ice"?
• What aspect of American life does Sandburg's poetry often focus on?
• Which poet is known for the work "Spoon River Anthology" that focuses on the dead residents of an Illinois town?
• What is the title of the poem by Walt Whitman that reflects on the assassination of President Lincoln?
• Which poet is notably recognized for his depiction of the American landscape in poetry?
• Which poet was married to Ted Hughes?
• Who is the author of the poem "Theme for English B"?
• Which poet is associated with the poem "The Chambered Nautilus"?
• What is the overarching theme of "Ash Wednesday" by T. S. Eliot?
• What is the theme primarily explored in "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening"?
• Who wrote the poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard"?
• What literary movement is Ralph Waldo Emerson commonly associated with?
• Which element of Keats's poetry connects to the theme of beauty?
• Who authored the poem "Dulce Et Decorum Est"?
• Which poet is best known for the phrase "The love song of J. Alfred Prufrock"?
• Who is the author of "The Song of Hiawatha"?
• What is the title of the poem that begins with "I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness"?
• Which poet is known for the sonnet form and romantic themes in the "Canzoniere"?
• What type of work is "Sunflower Sutra" considered to be?
• Which work is NOT associated with Thomas Gray?
• Which poem illustrates a theme of transience and the perception of time?
• What is the nickname given to Chicago in Carl Sandburg's poetry?
• Which poem is written by John Donne that reflects themes of love and separation?
• Which line is associated with T. S. Eliot's approach to poetry and spirituality?
• Which play was written by Eugene O'Neill?
• Which poem is authored by Keats and features an alluring yet tragic figure?
• Which poem is commonly linked to themes of madness and societal criticism?
• What is the title of E. E. Cummings' work that reflects on life in a small town?
• Which poet is known for their unconventional punctuation and capitalization?
• In which autobiographical work does Richard Wright explore his early life?
• Which poem is considered part of Oliver Wendell Holmes (Sr.)'s literary contributions?
• What is the title of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's work that narrates a historic event involving Paul Revere?
• Which of Frost's poems reflects the fleeting nature of life?
• Who authored "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats"?
• "To a Mouse" is a famous poem by which poet?
• Which of the following works features a metaphorical exploration of the cycles of life and death?
• Which of the following poems is attributed to Bryant?
• Which poem by Ezra Pound is highly celebrated and well-known?
• What literary technique is commonly employed by Emily Dickinson in her poetry?
• Which poet created the children's book "Where the Sidewalk Ends"?
• Who authored "The Fatal Sisters"?
• What poem is famous for the line "And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor"?
• In "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," what does the river symbolize?
• Which poet wrote "The Heights of Machu Picchu"?
• What is the central theme of the poem "Hope is the thing with feathers"?
• What is the title of the poem written by Keats that addresses a literary work by Chapman?
• Which poet won three Pulitzer Prizes, two for poetry?
• What motif is prevalent in "Gerontion" by T. S. Eliot?
• Which literary work features the concept of infinitely branching narratives?
• Which poet wrote a poem featuring the name of the demon "Moloch"?
• Which poet is known as "The Quaker Poet"?
• Which poet is known for writing "The Monkey's Raincoat"?
• Which poet wrote the poem "Yet Do I Marvel"?
• Who authored the poem "We Real Cool"?
• Which romantic poem by Lord Byron describes the beauty of a woman?
• "The Bells" is a poem by which author?
• Who authored "The Courtship of Miles Standish"?
• Which theme is predominant in Edwin Arlington Robinson's works?
• Which poet is associated with modernist themes and is known for "The Emperor of Ice Cream"?
• Which poet was noted for capturing the essence of everyday life in vivid language?
• Which poet is known for the work "The Unknown Citizen"?
• Which poet is known for "Sonnets From The Portuguese"?
• What is "Finnegan's Wake" classified as?
• Which literary theme is explored in Byron's "Don Juan"?
• Who authored the poem "In the Cage"?
• Which of the following poems is associated with themes of nature and mourning in Whitman's work?
• What theme is explored in Dickinson's poem "The Soul selects her own Society"?
• Which of these poems reflects a sense of nostalgia and loss?
• What theme is prevalent in the works of the Beat Generation writers?
• What is the predominant theme in "The Bronze Horseman"?
• Which of the following poems is NOT written by Edgar Allan Poe?
• What is the central subject of the poem "To a waterfowl"?
• In which poem does E. E. Cummings explore themes of individuality and societal norms?
• Who is the prominent poet associated with the Beat Generation?
• Which of the following poems is by Ralph Waldo Emerson?
• What form of imagery is commonly found in the works of E. E. Cummings?
• In which poetic work does "A thing of beauty is a joy forever" appear?
• Which poet wrote "Fire and Ice"?
• Which work is referred to as "Song of Innocence and Song of Experience"?
• What type of imagery is prevalent in Sylvia Plath's work?
• What literary technique is prominently used in Hughes’ line "Does it dry up / like a raisin in the sun?"
• Mainly considered a satirical work, which poem was written by Lord Byron?
• Which poet wrote about the themes of innocence and experience?
• How does Gray view the concept of ambition in his poetry?
• Which poet is associated with the quote "Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker"?
• What is the title of the work by James Weldon Johnson?
• Which Walt Whitman poem celebrates the human body and its beauty?
• Which poet wrote "Queen of Spades"?
• Which author is associated with modernist literature alongside Joyce?
• What does Emily Dickinson suggest about time in her poem where "Centuries...feel shorter than" a day?
• What form of poetry is "Four Quartets" considered to exemplify?
• In which period did James Joyce primarily write his notable works, including "Chamber Music"?
• What is the title of Sylvia Plath's poem that includes themes of fatherhood?
• Whose poem "On His Blindness" reflects the struggle with loss and faith?
• Who is the author of "Les Paradis Artificiels"?
• What does the term 'canto' refer to in poetry?
• Which work by W.B. Yeats explores themes of aging and time?
• In which poem does Dickinson express the idea of being confined to prose?
• Which poet wrote "The Second Coming"?
• Who is the author of "The Garden of Forking Paths"?
• What is a significant element of Dickinson’s poetry style?
• What is the title of Allen Ginsberg's lament for his mother?
• Which of the following poems was written by Robert Frost?
• What is the poem "Spoon River Anthology" primarily about?
• Which poem is attributed to Sylvia Plath?
• What is a common theme found in Gwendolyn Brooks's poetry?
• Which of the following best describes Carl Sandburg's style?
• Which collection features the poem "Chicago"?
• In what year was Carl Sandburg awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry?
• Which of the following figures is a prominent symbol within W.B. Yeats's poetry?
• Which work features a strong connection to the themes of American history and identity?
• What is a notable feature of the Fireside Poets?
• In which poetic work does the phrase associated with death and honor appear?
• In which poem does the speaker mention being stopped by Death?
• What imagery is used in the line "the vines cling crimson on the wall"?
• Which poet's work contains the line "Where ignorance is bliss, 'Tis folly to be wise"?
• Which of the following poems was written by T. S. Eliot?
• Which poet is associated with the themes found in "Les Paradis Artificiels"?
• In which poem does Ginsberg express themes of loss and mourning?
• Which poet's works were published with the assistance of Thomas Wentworth Higginson and Mabel Lewis Todd?
• What is a central motif in Robert Frost's poetry?
• "Dover Beach" is a poem by which English writer?
• Who is primarily linked to the Beat Generation alongside Ginsberg?
• Which poet’s work often reflects on human suffering and the impact of war?
• Which poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe?
• What line starts with "Hurry, hurry to the field"?
• What narrative style is prominent in Borges' works like "The Library of Babel"?
• Who wrote the essay "Shooting an Elephant"?
• Which poet is known for the work titled "The Cantos"?
• Which poem contains the line "A narrow fellow in the grass"?
• What is Wallace Stevens known for in the realm of poetry?
• Who is the author of "The Enormous Room"?
• Which Scottish poet is known for "Auld Lang Syne"?
• Who is the author of "Desire under the Elms"?
• Rabindranath Tagore is known for which of the following works?
• Who wrote "For the Union Dead"?
• Who is known for their poem "Merlin"?
• What imagery does Sandburg use in his poem "Fog"?
• Who is the author of the poem "Chamber Music"?
• What hallmark style is associated with Emily Dickinson's poetry?
• What aspect of modern life is primarily addressed in T. S. Eliot's "The Waste Land"?
• Who wrote the poem "Richard Cory"?
• Which group of poets is known for their conventional and homey style, with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow as a prominent member?
• What is the title of the poem associated with the date "September 1, 1939"?
• Which of the following describes the style of Thomas Gray's poetry?
• In "Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College," what theme is primarily explored?
• What is the title of the poem by Emma Lazarus that is well-known for its inscription on the Statue of Liberty?
• Which poet is known for their exploration of African American culture and identity?
• Who wrote poems that often feature childhood themes and whimsy?
• Which poem by Whitman is known for its introspective and meditative tone?
• What type of poem is "The Weary Blues" primarily recognized as?
• Who wrote the work titled "Paterson"?