Chapter: 08. Ode To A Butterfly
Comprehension Practice
A. Answer these questions.
According to the poet, what ‘secrets’ does the butterfly carry in its colors? What does the poet mean by calling the butterfly a “winged blossom”? How does the poem suggest the butterfly might get its vibrant colors, besides heavenly hues? Why does the poet describe the garden as a “wide banquet” for the butterfly? What quality of the butterfly’s eyes is mentioned, and what does it suggest about its nature? B. Answer these questions with reference to the context.
“He seeks his hope in thee
Of immortality.
Symbol of life, me with such faith endow!”
a. Who is ‘he’ in the first line?
b. What does ‘immortality’ mean in this context?
c. What is the poet asking for in the last line? “Or is thy luster drawn from heavenly hues,
A sumptuous drifting fragment of the sky,
Caught when the sunset its last glance imbues”
a. What is “thy luster” referring to?
b. What does “sumptuous drifting fragment of the sky” suggest about the butterfly’s beauty?
c. What natural event is being described as contributing to the butterfly’s colors? C. Think and answer.
The poet uses several contrasts (e.g., songless butterfly vs. songful birds, freeman butterfly vs. nesting birds). Discuss how these contrasts help to highlight the butterfly’s unique qualities and importance in the poem. If you were to choose another creature from nature to symbolize hope or freedom, what would it be and why? Describe your chosen creature and explain what specific aspects of it represent these ideas. 
Comprehension