Question

select the correct text in the passage. which line in the poem helps the reader determine the theme? barnacles1 by sidney lanier my soul is sailing through the sea, but the past is heavy and hindereth me. the past hath crusted cumbrous shells that hold the flesh of cold sea - mells 5 about my soul. the huge waves wash, the high waves roll, each barnacle clingeth and worketh dole and hindereth me from sailing! old past, let go, and drop i the sea 10 till fathomless waters cover thee! for i am living, but thou art dead; thou drawest back, i strive ahead the day to find. thy shells unbind! night comes behind; 15 i needs must hurry with the wind and trim me best for sailing. 1 small shellfish that attach themselves to ships and rocks

Explanation:

The theme often relates to moving on from the past. The line "Old Past, let go, and drop i' the sea" clearly expresses the speaker's desire to be free from the burdens of the past and move forward in life. It encapsulates the central idea of the poem about leaving behind the hindrances of the past.

Answer:

Old Past, let go, and drop i' the sea