How a Poem Is Built

Grade 4 - Reading - On Level

NameDate

Read this first
The Grandfather Clock
In the hallway, tall and grand. A clock has stood for years and years. Its pendulum swings on command. Counting seconds, hopes, and fears. Tick after tick, the hours pass.
Its golden hands move slow and sure. Marking every single day. Through happy times and moments pure. It never seems to slip away. Tick after tick, the hours pass.
At midnight when the house is still. It chimes twelve times so soft and clear. Its steady voice gives such a thrill. A comfort to all sleeping near. Tick after tick, the hours pass.
Someday this clock will still stand tall. Long after we have gone away. Its ticking heard by one and all. Reminding hearts to seize the day. Tick after tick, the hours pass.
What is this poem mostly about?
- an old clock marking time in a house
- a sprinkler watering a garden
- a candle burning during a birthday wish
- a child swinging on a playground swing
How many stanzas does this poem have?
- 6
- 3
- 4
- 5
How many lines are in each stanza of this poem?
- 7
- 3
- 6
- 5
Not counting the refrain, what is the rhyme scheme of the first four lines?
- ABAB
- AABB
- AAAA
- ABCB
Which line repeats in this poem as a refrain?
- Up and down, then up once more.
- Tick after tick, the hours pass.
- Flicker, flicker, burning bright.
- Round and round, it waters all.
How many times does the refrain appear in this poem?
- 5
- 4
- 3
- 6
Which word from the poem rhymes with "grand"?
- sing
- heat
- cheer
- command
What is the first line of this poem?
- In the hallway, tall and grand.
- Upon the cake, so round and sweet.
- Each summer morning, bright and clear.
- I climb aboard the old wood swing.
What is the last line of this poem?
- Tick after tick, the hours pass.
- Up and down, then up once more.
- Round and round, it waters all.
- Flicker, flicker, burning bright.
What effect does repeating the refrain have on this poem?
- It changes the poem's rhyme scheme completely.
- It is a mistake that should be removed from the poem.
- It creates a steady rhythm and reminds the reader what the poem is about.
- It replaces the need for a title.

The Grandfather Clock

In the hallway, tall and grand. A clock has stood for years and years. Its pendulum swings on command. Counting seconds, hopes, and fears. Tick after tick, the hours pass.

Its golden hands move slow and sure. Marking every single day. Through happy times and moments pure. It never seems to slip away. Tick after tick, the hours pass.

At midnight when the house is still. It chimes twelve times so soft and clear. Its steady voice gives such a thrill. A comfort to all sleeping near. Tick after tick, the hours pass.

Someday this clock will still stand tall. Long after we have gone away. Its ticking heard by one and all. Reminding hearts to seize the day. Tick after tick, the hours pass.