Sometimes around the dinner table we will engage in a fun family activity we call "quiz questions." This is a little game where I get to dream up random questions and present them to the young-uns to see who can answer them. Questions can be on any topic: history, geography, Bible, math, science... whatever. (A perennial favorite is "name the three branches of the federal government." I don't know why, but I just like asking that one.) Since I have to present the questions in machine gun fashion from my little mind, sometimes it's a challenge to dream up questions at a fast pace. Tonight, I asked this question, "who are my three favorite poets?" It's sort of an unfair question -- like Bilbo asking "what have I got in my pocket," but, like the hobbit, I decided to let the question ride. What do you think the answer is? My children answered two of the three correctly, but I did have to recite several verses from one of the poets before they could name him. I was pretty sure sure they'd never come up with the third, so I gave it to them.
So there's the question of the day.
Since you don't know me as well as my children, I'll give you a hint by posting short samples of each poet's work:
Poet #1:
Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.
Poet #2
When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried,
When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it -- lie down for an aeon or two,
Till the Master of All Good Workmen shall put us to work anew!
Poe #3
When you're up against a trouble,
Meet it squarely, face to face;
Lift your chin and set your shoulders,
Plant your feet and take a brace.
When it's vain to try to dodge it,
Do the best that you can do;
You may fail, but you may conquer,
See it through!
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No fair using Google to find the answers!
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8 comments:
Legislative, Judicial and Executive!
Oh- wait- wrong question.
I'm afraid I'm not very good at identifying poets...But I bet Andrea will get this one!
Is it OK to use Goodsearch to find the answers? ;)
I don't actually know them, but I do have a guess for #1: Henry Longfellow? The verse sounds like it could be from "The Village Blacksmith", but since I haven't read that poem in years, I can't be sure...
Claire - funny! I asked the branches of government question again tonight to T, the youngest. Knowing he has trouble with this question, I asked him to name just one of the branches. Wanting to give him a hint, his mother helpfully suggested he name the branch with the "judges." He thought very hard, and finally said "Traditional?"
Aaron - You're 100 percent correct on Poet #1. The Village Blacksmith is one of my favorite poems. Never heard of Goodsearch, I'll have to Google it ;)
I was going to guess Longfellow before I read the sample! I feel very proud of myself! However, I do not feel proud of myself about the other two, because even w/ the samples I'm not sure.
Hmmm, how about Rudyard Kipling? And maybe Emily Dickinson for Poet #2? I don't have a lot of faith in my guesses but it's the best I can come up with right now:)
I loved those trivia games growing up - and hurrah for teaching your kids the three branches of gov't!
Oooh, I should have guessed the Village Blacksmith. Grandpa M was always quoting that one. Not sure of the others though.
Hint: Poet #3 is not Poe...
I think the third one might be by Rudyard Kipling?
And the second might be Walt Whitman?
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