The Listener
By Alan King, 2017
Alan King is a Caribbean American, whose parents emigrated from Trinidad and Tobago to the U.S. In this poem, a boy reflects on his deceased aunt. As you read, take notes on how the speaker describes his aunt.
[1] A woman in the next aisle
laughs among the milk
and orange juice.
Laughter stops the words in her throat,
[5] so no matter what, they won’t finish the joke.
She laughs like my Aunt “Mops,”
the one who was ready to drive
from DC to Baltimore to scorch my boss
with her fire-bottle words
[10] when I told her what I made as a reporter
forced to work weekends.
She got her nickname, “Mops,”
from the Mopsy biscuits she loved
as a girl back in Trinidad1.
[15] Every Friday, I’d snatch a stack
of newspapers from my job and race down
to her house where the aromas2
of pound cake and curry
fought each other like siblings.
[20] I’d drop off a few copies at her salon.
She’d smile, See how my nephew all ova’
the front page, so! She’d keep a paper
to read my articles on city council corruption
and displaced3
East Baltimore residents
[25] before she fell asleep.
If I was stressed from work, she’d always say,
Them can’t play sailor and ’fraid powder4.
When she died from cancer,
I thought I lost her forever.
[30] But she’s an aisle over,
laughing
behind the spice shelf.
Footnotes
1. an island in the Caribbean
2. Aroma (noun): a distinctive, typically pleasant smell
3. Displace (verb): to force someone to leave their home
4. During the annual carnival in Trinidad, masqueraders dress as sailors and throw baby powder on spectators and band members. This saying means not to get involved in something if you can’t handle the work involved.
Flag question: Question 1
Question 11 pts
Part A: Which statement expresses the main theme of the poem?
Group of answer choices
Happy memories of a loved one can help keep them alive in your heart.
It's important to remain optimistic, even during difficult times.
No one will ever support you like your family does.
You never fully recover from losing a close family member.
Flag question: Question 2
Question 21 pts
Part B: Which detail from the poem best supports the answer to Part A?
Group of answer choices
"But she's an aisle over,/ laughing/behind the spice shelf" (Lines 30-32
"She'd smile, See how my nephew all ova'/the front page, so!" (lines 21-22)
"She got her nickname, "Mops,"/from the Mopsy biscuits she loved" (lines 12-13)
"When she died from cancer,/ I thought I lost her forever." (Lines 23-29)
Flag question: Question 3
Question 31 pts
How does the following quote contribute to the reader's understanding of the speaker's aunt: "She'd smile, See how my nephew all ova'/ the front page, so!" (Lines 21-22)?
Group of answer choices
She thinks the speaker deserves to make more money for his work.
She wants to write for the newspaper like the speaker.
She is surprised by the speaker's quality of work.
She is proud of the speaker and wants to share their work with others.
Flag question: Question 4
Question 41 pts
What does it mean when the speaker reveals that his aunt wanted "to scorch my boss/ with her fire-bottle words" (Lines 8-9)?
Group of answer choices
She wants to scold the boss for his treatment of the speaker.
She wants to physically harm the speaker's boss.
She wants to frighten the speaker's boss.
She wants to criticize the work he produces.
Flag question: Question 5
Question 51 pts
How do the first and the last stanza of the poem contribute to its meaning?
Group of answer choices
The first and the last stanza emphasize the speaker’s desire to remember his aunt as well as the unexpected settings in which memories can arise.
The first and the last stanza reveal to the speaker that his aunt has not actually passed away after all.
The first and the last stanza represent the speaker’s wish to see his aunt again so much that he imagines she is with him.
The first and the last stanza describe the speaker’s descent into insanity over the grief of losing his aunt.
Flag question: Question 6
Question 61 pts
What detail does the author use to develop the difference in the narrator’s and his aunt’s point of views?
Group of answer choices
The narrator’s aunt works at a salon, and the narrator works as a reporter. These differences show how the two characters value different skills and occupations.
The narrator’s aunt moved from the Caribbean to the United States for a better life. This shows the determination of the aunt.
The narrator’s aunt is willing to drive an hour one way to fuss at the narrator’s boss due to her nephew being overworked and underpaid. This shows the willingness of the aunt to stand up for her nephew even when he won’t do the same for himself.
The narrator lied about his aunt having passed away from cancer; she is really in the grocery store with him. This shows the dishonesty within the narrator.
