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Vocabulary in An Acre of Grass

Vocabulary Examples in An Acre of Grass:

An Acre of Grass

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"Grant me an old man's frenzy, ..."   (An Acre of Grass)

The two lines mark the volta or turn in the poem as the speaker’s tone changes dramatically from the tone of resignation in the first two stanzas. The word “frenzy” means uncontrolled, excited behavior or emotion. No longer contemplating what has been lost in old age and accepting the loss, he looks to the remainder of his life, intent upon reclaiming his creative powers.

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"loose imagination..."   (An Acre of Grass)

Creativity is born in the imagination; a “loose” imagination would be one that knows no bounds in formulating new concepts or in envisioning new images. The passage moves the poem away from the speaker’s failing physical body to the state of his mind.

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"My temptation is quiet...."   (An Acre of Grass)

“Temptation” is the physical desire or urge to engage in a pleasurable activity that can be harmful in some way to one’s well-being. The speaker may be referring to a lack of sexual desire in old age, or he may be speaking generally of withdrawing from life’s physical pleasures.

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