Question

accidents
linda pastan ● 1987
linda pastan is an american poet of jewish background. pastan was poet laureate of maryland from 1991 to 1995. her short poems address a wide range of topics, such as family, motherhood, the fragility of life, and much more. in this poem, the narrator describes the experience of losing a child.
as you read, take note of how figurative language is used to describe the experience of losing a child.
(1) there is no infant
this time,
only my own life swaddled
in bandages
(2) and handed back to me
to hold in my two arms
like any new thing,
to hold to my bruised breasts
and promise
(3) to cherish
guiding questions
question 1 of 2
what is the speaker receiving in this stanza?
a a newborn baby to bring home
b a baby that she did not give birth to
c a new life as someone who has suffered loss
d a blanket meant for a newborn baby

Explanation:

The poem's stanza states there is no infant, only the speaker's own life "swaddled in bandages" handed back to them, framing their new identity as someone who has endured the loss of a child. The other options do not match the figurative language and core meaning of the stanza.

Answer:

C. a new life as someone who has suffered loss