Available Answers

1. 1.

   Complete this table.

   Nature is what we−	1. see	2. hear	3. know
   a. example from the poem			None given, perhaps because we don't have the skill to say it.
   b. one example of your own
   c. Nature is also−

2. 2.

   Nay−Nature is Heaven−

   1. Which of these phrases comes closest to the meaning of 'nay' in this line−not really / in fact?
   2. Where else has 'nay' been used? How has nature been described there?
3. 3.

   So impotent Our Wisdom is / To her simplicity.

   1. Why is our wisdom 'impotent'?
   2. Is it unusual that, according to the poem, our wisdom is impotent when faced with 'Simplicity' rather than 'Complexity'?
   3. Do you think that it is this 'Simplicity' that adds to Nature's beauty?
4. 4.

   Nature is what we know− / Yet have no art to say−

   1. Would you say that this poem is an attempt to describe nature?
   2. Do you think many other works of art− poems, paintings, music and so on−are also attempts to capture the beauty and / or simplicity of Nature?
5. 5.

   This poem uses many em dashes (−). Where in the poem does the em dash work as a −

   1. colon?
   2. comma?
   3. full stop?
6. 6.

   This poem also capitalises several words.

   1. Give a few examples of words that are not usually capitalised but are written with capital letters here.
   2. Why do you think they have been written this way?