Back when you read this poem (or didn’t, it does not matter),
did its title take your thoughts that bit to Walden?
For extra credit, make a pun combining ‘scalding’
with solutions to any resemblance to a hatter
whom the poem’s protagonist cheated, and was it his balding
that sent him out for a duck? Was he a batter?
To do well on this test, write long and dense-
ly, taking care to let no phrase make sense.
Prep Notes for Teachers: Sample Test for Your ‘Poetry Appreciation’ Students
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