Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Can you feel real happiness if you've never felt real pain? What might the speaker of "To a Skylark" think about that?
- Do you think human life is basically sad? Is that what the speaker is saying in this poem, or is it more complicated than that?
- Is it possible for a poem like this one to be as beautiful as a bird singing or a sunset? Does that comparison even make sense to you? Is the speaker of this poem talking about apples and oranges when he compares his art to nature?
- Writing poems to birds—cute or creepy? Why do you think so?
- Can you remember a moment when you felt overwhelmed or dazed by the beauty and power of nature? If so, where were you? Does this poem do an effective job of conveying that power? If not, can you imagine something that might have this kind of impression on you?