Question

read the adapted excerpt from the poem \on imagination\ by phillis wheatley. imagination! who can sing thy force? or who describe the swiftness of thy course? soaring through air to find the bright abode, th empyreal palace of the thundring mode, we on thy pinions can surpass the wind, and leave the rolling universe behind: from star to star the mental optics rove, measure the skies, and range the realms above. there in one view we grasp the mighty whole, or with new worlds amaze th unbounded soul. what does the speaker compare imagination to in the poem? a. a soaring bird b. the sky c. a cloud d. a sailing ship

Explanation:

To solve this, we analyze the poem's lines. The line "We on thy pinions can surpass the wind" uses "pinions" (which are a bird's wings). This imagery suggests imagination is compared to a soaring bird, as birds use wings (pinions) to fly. Options B (sky), C (cloud), and D (sailing ship) don't align with the "pinions" and soaring imagery as directly as a bird.

Answer:

A. a soaring bird