Question

read the following excerpt from sonnet xliii, what lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why\ by edna st. vincent millay:
what lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,
i have forgotten, and what arms have lain
under my head till morning; but the rain
is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh
upon the glass and listen for reply,
and in my heart there stirs a quiet pain
for unremembered lads that not again
will turn to me at midnight with a cry.
which statement best analyzes how the poet’s word choice in this excerpt conveys the tone?
a. the words \ghosts\ and \pain\ reveal a deep sense of loss mingled with the sense of detachment.
b. the words \heart\ and \cry\ compare two unlike emotions to show the capacity of human feelings.
c. the words \kissed\ and \lain\ bring a romantic feeling to an otherwise frustrating situation.
d. the words \forgotten\ and \sigh\ support the theme of a life unfulfilled by selfish isolation.

Explanation:

• Option A: The speaker first states they have forgotten past lovers ("I have forgotten"), showing detachment, while "ghosts" (representing lost, unremembered relationships) and "quiet pain" convey grief over these lost connections, matching the excerpt's tone.
• Option B: "Heart" and "cry" do not compare unlike emotions; they reference a specific sad feeling, so this is incorrect.
• Option C: "Kissed" and "lain" reference past intimacy, but the overall tone is sad and detached, not romantic, so this is incorrect.
• Option D: There is no indication the speaker's isolation is selfish; the focus is on unintended forgetting and loss, not self-imposed isolation, so this is incorrect.

Answer:

A. The words "ghosts" and "pain" reveal a deep sense of loss mingled with the sense of detachment.