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Can You Write Like W.H. Auden? Quiz

In this multiple-choice quiz you will need to choose one poetical word for each line of the same well-known W.H. Auden poem (with the title at the end). Look for clues in the first line of each question.

A multiple-choice quiz by jmvoya. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
jmvoya

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
368,039

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
11 / 15

Plays
286

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. What timely word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in the first line of this poem?

"Stop all the ______, cut off the telephone," Hint

clocks

tears

words

letters

NEXT>

Question 2 of 15

2. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to make this line of his poem as distinctive as the outer layer of a tree trunk?

"Prevent the dog from ______ with a juicy bone," Hint

whining

howling

scratching

barking

NEXT>

Question 3 of 15

3. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used so this line of his poem would be as smooth as ivory?

"Silence the ______ and with muffled drum" Hint

crowd

traffic

pianos

children

NEXT>

Question 4 of 15

4. What rectangular word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this line of his poem?

"Bring out the ______, let the mourners come." Hint

sorrow

flowers

feast

coffin

NEXT>

Question 5 of 15

5. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to round out this line of his poem?

"Let aeroplanes ______ moaning overhead" Hint

circle

soar

swoop

dive

NEXT>

Question 6 of 15

6. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to make this line of his poem look messy?

"______ on the sky the message 'He Is Dead'." Hint

Painting

Writing

Scribbling

Drawing

NEXT>

Question 7 of 15

7. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have wanted everyone to see in this line of his poem?

"Put cr�pe bows round the white necks of the ______ doves," Hint

noisy

crying

gentle

public

NEXT>

Question 8 of 15

8. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have directed you toward in this line of his poem?

"Let the ______ policemen wear black cotton gloves." Hint

traffic

busy

gloomy

indifferent

NEXT>

Question 9 of 15

9. As a pro, which noun do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this line of his poem?

"______ was my North, my South, my East and West,"
Hint

Love

Music

Magic

NEXT>

Question 10 of 15

10. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to get the job done in this line of his poem?

"My ______ week and my Sunday rest,"

Hint

lengthy

common

tiring

working

NEXT>

Question 11 of 15

11. What lyrical word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this line of his poem?

"My noon, my midnight, my talk, my ______;" Hint

laugh

thought

silence

song

NEXT>

Question 12 of 15

12. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this emotional line of his poem?

"I thought that ______ would last for ever: I was wrong." Hint

love

life

NEXT>

Question 13 of 15

13. What word do you think would twinkle in this line of W.H. Auden's poem?

"The ______ are not wanted now: put out every one;" Hint

stars

tears

flowers

pets

NEXT>

Question 14 of 15

14. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to cast a pale light on this line of his poem?

"Pack up the ______ and dismantle the sun;" Hint

moon

dishes

world

furniture

NEXT>

Question 15 of 15

15. What salty word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this penultimate line of his poem?

"Pour away the ______ and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good." Hint

wine

sadness

coffee

ocean

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What timely word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in the first line of this poem? "Stop all the ______, cut off the telephone,"

Answer: clocks

Originally, Auden wrote a similar version of this poem for a play called "The Ascent of F6" (co-written with Christopher Isherwood).

2. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to make this line of his poem as distinctive as the outer layer of a tree trunk? "Prevent the dog from ______ with a juicy bone,"

Answer: barking

In Auden and Isherwood's 1937 play, this piece was intended to be a satirical poem of mourning which mocked the death of a fictional politician.

3. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used so this line of his poem would be as smooth as ivory? "Silence the ______ and with muffled drum"

Answer: pianos

Auden's final version of the poem (used in this quiz) was presented in 1938 as a non-satirical cabaret song for the singer Hedli Anderson, a celebrated soprano of that era.

4. What rectangular word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this line of his poem? "Bring out the ______, let the mourners come."

Answer: coffin

The music for the cabaret song (of this poem) was written by the composer Benjamin Britten who arranged it for solo voice and piano in a collection of settings of Auden's poems under the title "Cabaret Songs."

5. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to round out this line of his poem? "Let aeroplanes ______ moaning overhead"

Answer: circle

In 1940, Auden published this poem in his collection "Another Time" where it was one part of the sequence called "Four Cabaret Songs for Miss Hedli Anderson."

6. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to make this line of his poem look messy? "______ on the sky the message 'He Is Dead'."

Answer: Scribbling

The use of the child-like word, 'scribbling,' is an example of Auden's penchant for mixing formal and traditional words, images and structure with informal and more modern counterparts.

7. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have wanted everyone to see in this line of his poem? "Put cr�pe bows round the white necks of the ______ doves,"

Answer: public

Many people recognize this poem because it was recited in a moving scene from the movie, "Four Weddings and a Funeral."

8. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have directed you toward in this line of his poem? "Let the ______ policemen wear black cotton gloves."

Answer: traffic

After the events of September 11, 2001, another of Auden's poems was often quoted. It was called, "September 1, 1939" and was inspired by the outbreak of WWII. In one memorable line Auden wrote, "We must love one another or die".

9. As a pro, which noun do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this line of his poem? "______ was my North, my South, my East and West,"

Answer: He

Some of Auden's central poetic themes included politics, citizenship, religion, morals and, of course, love.

10. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to get the job done in this line of his poem? "My ______ week and my Sunday rest,"

Answer: working

In his younger years many of Auden's poems were inspired by his unconsummated love for certain individuals.

11. What lyrical word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this line of his poem? "My noon, my midnight, my talk, my ______;"

Answer: song

In his poetry, Auden often explored the ways in which words both concealed and revealed strong emotions.

12. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this emotional line of his poem? "I thought that ______ would last for ever: I was wrong."

Answer: love

Although this poem seems to be quite personal and intimate which strikes a chord with many people, there is no evidence to suggest that Auden wrote it about any particular person.

13. What word do you think would twinkle in this line of W.H. Auden's poem? "The ______ are not wanted now: put out every one;"

Answer: stars

One of Auden's recurring themes explored the contrast between human beings as unique, passionate individuals and the, seemingly, undifferentiated and indifferent world of nature.

14. What word do you think W.H. Auden would have used to cast a pale light on this line of his poem? "Pack up the ______ and dismantle the sun;"

Answer: moon

On May 29, 1985 a retaining wall collapsed at Heysel Stadium in Brussels when fans brawled prior to Liverpool FC playing Juventus FC in the European Cup final. Thirty-nine people were killed and 600 injured in what came to be known as the Heysel Stadium disaster.

A sundial sculpture was dedicated in commemoration of the disaster on May 29, 2005 with this poem by Auden inscribed on it.

15. What salty word do you think W.H. Auden would have used in this penultimate line of his poem? "Pour away the ______ and sweep up the wood. For nothing now can ever come to any good."

Answer: ocean

In the British edition of Auden's poetry collection, "Another Time", there is a misprint. Instead of 'wood' that edition printed the word 'woods'.

Source: Author jmvoya

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