- 1
What do you think is literally happening in "The Emperor of Ice Cream?"
Students will have any number of interpretations--a circus? a fair? a birthday party? Have fun with their interpretations! The accepted one is that the poem describes people getting ready for a wake--the ice cream will be served to the guests, while the "cold" and "dumb" woman described in the second stanza is the corpse. The carnival-like language and imagery is meant to highlight the performative aspects of tradition (such as funerals).
- 2
What is the rhyme scheme of "The Emperor of Ice Cream?"
Students should realize that while the majority of the poem is free verse, the last two lines...
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