Twelfth Song of Thunder Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. Who is the speaker of this poem? What can we deduce about them based on the chant that they sing?
  2. In what ways do the voices in the poem “beautify” the land, do you think?
  3. What parallels and what contrasts can we draw between the “voice of thunder” and the “voice of the grasshopper”?
  4. What purpose does the refrain serve in this poem?
  5. “Twelfth Song of Thunder” is a chant that is recited as part of a ritual. Knowing this, what can the poem tell us about the relationship between ritual and poetry?