Who was Saint Francis of Assisi?
A Catholic priest who gave up a life of comfort to help the poor
A grotesque poor beggar who sat outside an Italian church in Assisi
A modern day Catholic priest who showed tourists around the church in Assisi
Why is the poem separated into three distinct separate stanzas?
To make the reader pause and reflect on the poem more
To make the reader focus on each of the characters and the image presented of them
To make the reader read on and enjoy the poem
Which of these is a clear example of sibilance used to make us feel pity for the poor disabled person who is outside the church?
tiny twisted legs from which sawdust might run
sat slumped like a half-filled sack
three tiers of churches
What is the effect of the poet’s descriptive imagery used to describe the poor beggar?
He appears to be presented as an annoying figure to those coming into the church
He appears to be part of the church and just an accepted figure
He appears to be dehumanised, like an object in the way sitting by the entrance
How does the poet reveal a mood of anger towards the priest for ignoring the poor disabled person outside the church?
He creates a picture of the priest pointing out how to help others as shown in the paintings within the church
He creates a picture of the priest’s cleverness
cleverness
He creates a picture of the suffering of the poor as shown in the paintings in the church
What is the purpose of comparing the tourists to a flock of chickens clucking contentedly?
clucking contentedly
The speaker is angry and wants to insult the tourists and this is the best comparison
The speaker is unimpressed with the tourists and sees them as chasing after the priest’s words but at the same time seeing the disabled person
The speaker is contemptuous of them and so compares them to brainless birds who are just like the priest because they are all ignoring the disabled person
By describing the disabled person as a ruined temple, the poet is using which poetic technique?
a ruined temple
A simile
Alliteration
A metaphor
Which of these is a simile used to capture the internal beauty of the voice of the beggar?
a voice as sweet as a child’s when she speaks to her mother
a voice as sweet as honey when she speaks to her mother
a voice as sweet as candy when she speaks to her mother
What are the main themes of this poem?
Suffering, poverty and the hypocrisy of the church
Suffering, hardship and ignorance
Suffering, tourists ignoring the poor and religion
How does the poet highlight how far the church has moved from accepting that the poor should be treated just as fairly as the wealthy?
By contrasting the priest with the disabled person
By contrasting the disabled person with the beautiful church
By contrasting the tourists with the disabled person