Question

choose the poem that uses assonance. the earth is motionless and poised in space . . . a huge bird resting in its flight between the alleys of the stars. if this is peace, this dead and leaden thing, then better far the hateful fret, the sting. better the wound forever seeking balm than this gray calm!

Explanation:

Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in non - rhyming words. In the second poem, "peace", "dead", "leaden", "better", "hateful", "fret", "sting", "wound", "seeking", "balm", "gray", "calm" have repeated vowel sounds. In the first poem, there is less obvious vowel - sound repetition.

Answer:

The second poem: "If this is peace, this dead and leaden thing, Then better far the hateful fret, the sting. Better the wound forever seeking balm Than this gray calm!"