“Stand”
1. On your copy of the poem, circle at least two similes in the opening stanza that
describe how life feels to the speaker. Then circle at least two similes that
appear in stanza 3. What’s the difference? Does the mood shift?
2. In the second stanza (or the chorus) the speaker gives a warning: “you might
bend ‘til you break.” What does that mean? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
3. With your pencil, underline all the “standing” words. Cross out all the “falling”
words. What do you notice?
4. Why is it so hard for people to stand and speak up for what’s right?
5. Rewrite a line from the poem that you really connected to. Why do you connect
to this line?