Question

immensity
by a. gautam
when i gaze at the stars
scattered across a dark plate
like a million bits of popcorn,
my fingers lose the count.
when i look at the mountain top—
pounds of vanilla ice cream
scooped on a big rock,
first my hat drops, then my jaw.
and next to the ocean shore
a deep bowl of blue kool-aid,
i shrink with the ant.
in the vast universe,
i am as small as small can be.

4
what is the theme of this poem?
a. do not be afraid of things that make you shrink.
b. humans are small compared to the universe.
c. authors often compare themselves to the universe.
d. humans are afraid of things that are immense.

Explanation:

The poem uses comparisons (stars to popcorn, the speaker shrinking next to an ant, feeling tiny in the universe) to emphasize how humans are dwarfed by large or cosmic things. Option A is not supported, as the poem doesn't address fear. Option C is a technique, not the theme. Option D is not stated, as the poem doesn't mention fear of immense things.

Answer:

B. Humans are small compared to the universe.