SOLVED: Please help me, I dont know how to explain to my students ... - Free Printable

Here’s the solution to the worksheet questions based on Kendall Banning’s poem “Noon”:

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1. What is this poem about?

This poem is about the overwhelming joy and beauty of a perfect summer day — specifically, the midday (“Noon”) of June — experienced through nature’s lively sounds and sights. But more importantly, it’s a love poem: the speaker connects this natural splendor with the deep happiness of being in love, declaring that the “joy of June” has found them *because* their beloved is theirs.

> Textual Evidence:
> - “The joy of June has found me; as an aureole³ it’s crown / Because, oh best beloved, you are mine!”
> This final couplet ties the natural imagery directly to romantic love — the beauty of the day isn’t just observed; it’s *felt* because of the speaker’s beloved.

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2. What is the speaker’s tone?

The speaker’s tone is joyful, celebratory, and loving.

> Textual Evidence:
> - Words like “humming,” “singing,” “purling,” “laughing,” “radiant,” “nodding,” and “whispering” create a sense of gentle, happy motion — everything in nature is alive and cheerful.
> - The exclamation “to the sky!” and “oh best beloved, you are mine!” show emotional intensity and delight.
> - The comparison of the beloved’s presence to an “aureole” (a glowing halo) elevates the emotion to something sacred and radiant.
> - The repetition of verbs (“humming, humming,” “purling, purling,” “whispering, whispering”) adds musicality and reinforces the feeling of abundance and happiness.

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✔ Final Answers:

1. This poem is about the beauty and joy of a summer noon, which the speaker connects to the happiness of being in love with their beloved.

2. The speaker’s tone is joyful and loving. Evidence includes the use of vibrant, happy verbs (“laughing,” “singing”), exclamations (“oh best beloved!”), and the comparison of love to a radiant “aureole.”

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Let me know if you’d like to explore literary devices or deeper symbolism too!