Question

Paraphrase the verses to show that you understand their literal meaning.

Answer 1

Answer:

1. "Is my team plowing" = Are my horses still working?
2. "That I use to drive" = The way I used to drive them to plow the land
3. "And hear the harness jingle" = While listening to the harness noises.
4. "When I was man alive?" = When was I still alive?
5. "Ay, the horses trample," = The horses continue to work hard.
6. "The harness jingles now;" = And the harness continues to make noise
7. "No change though you lie under" = Everything is the same, except your presence
8. "The land you use to plow." = On the land you used to plow.

Explanation:

Firstly, it is important to highlight the meaning of paraphrasing. To paraphrase is to use a sentence and rewrite it keeping the original meaning, but using different words, as was done in the poem above.

The poem provides the conversation between a dead man and his friend, who is still alive. In the first three verses, the man wants to know what is happening in the land that he plowed, cared for and cultivated. He wants to know if everything is as he left it. The latest verses describe the friend's response, who says that everything is the same, except for the presence of the man who is now dead.