Context: Emma Bartley is an American poet. Her writing often focuses on childhood and memories. In this poem, a speaker recalls memories of their backyard. As you read, take notes on what the speaker remembers of their backyard. It used to feel too big and mostly abandoned, leftover land between neighboring cul-de-sacs and the elementary school. Still, I would visit its few humble stations — the cracked stump by the fence always crawling with ants. The narrow space behind the garage lined with unused slate, just standing there waiting for my parents’ hands. Then there was the shady dirt under the old maple tree where I read, cradled or sinking between dying tentacle roots. Was there ever any glory there? I can remember a few humid evenings through the crack of the back door. Twilight hanging like a velvet curtain, the thinning pine trees at least only silhouettes. My parents would be at the top of the empty hill sitting at the rusty, wrought iron table, in an orb of orange candlelight. I knew they were eating artichoke with hot butter, scraping off the meat of the leaves with their teeth and just casting the rest away. -Humble (adjective) : low in rank or condition -the dark shape and outline of someone visible against a lighter background 1) Which of the following describes how the speaker felt about the backyard?

Context: Emma Bartley is an American poet. Her writing often focuses on childhood and memories. In this poem, a speaker recalls memories of their backyard. As you read, take notes on what the speaker remembers of their backyard. It used to feel too big and mostly abandoned, leftover land between neighboring cul-de-sacs and the elementary school. Still, I would visit its few humble stations — the cracked stump by the fence always crawling with ants. The narrow space behind the garage lined with unused slate, just standing there waiting for my parents’ hands. Then there was the shady dirt under the old maple tree where I read, cradled or sinking between dying tentacle roots. Was there ever any glory there? I can remember a few humid evenings through the crack of the back door. Twilight hanging like a velvet curtain, the thinning pine trees at least only silhouettes. My parents would be at the top of the empty hill sitting at the rusty, wrought iron table, in an orb of orange candlelight. I knew they were eating artichoke with hot butter, scraping off the meat of the leaves with their teeth and just casting the rest away. -Humble (adjective) : low in rank or condition -the dark shape and outline of someone visible against a lighter background 2) The speaker’s memory of their parents...

Context: Emma Bartley is an American poet. Her writing often focuses on childhood and memories. In this poem, a speaker recalls memories of their backyard. As you read, take notes on what the speaker remembers of their backyard. It used to feel too big and mostly abandoned, leftover land between neighboring cul-de-sacs and the elementary school. Still, I would visit its few humble stations — the cracked stump by the fence always crawling with ants. The narrow space behind the garage lined with unused slate, just standing there waiting for my parents’ hands. Then there was the shady dirt under the old maple tree where I read, cradled or sinking between dying tentacle roots. Was there ever any glory there? I can remember a few humid evenings through the crack of the back door. Twilight hanging like a velvet curtain, the thinning pine trees at least only silhouettes. My parents would be at the top of the empty hill sitting at the rusty, wrought iron table, in an orb of orange candlelight. I knew they were eating artichoke with hot butter, scraping off the meat of the leaves with their teeth and just casting the rest away. -Humble (adjective) : low in rank or condition -the dark shape and outline of someone visible against a lighter background 3) Which statement expresses the main theme of the poem?

Context: Emma Bartley is an American poet. Her writing often focuses on childhood and memories. In this poem, a speaker recalls memories of their backyard. As you read, take notes on what the speaker remembers of their backyard. It used to feel too big and mostly abandoned, leftover land between neighboring cul-de-sacs and the elementary school. Still, I would visit its few humble stations — the cracked stump by the fence always crawling with ants. The narrow space behind the garage lined with unused slate, just standing there waiting for my parents’ hands. Then there was the shady dirt under the old maple tree where I read, cradled or sinking between dying tentacle roots. Was there ever any glory there? I can remember a few humid evenings through the crack of the back door. Twilight hanging like a velvet curtain, the thinning pine trees at least only silhouettes. My parents would be at the top of the empty hill sitting at the rusty, wrought iron table, in an orb of orange candlelight. I knew they were eating artichoke with hot butter, scraping off the meat of the leaves with their teeth and just casting the rest away. -Humble (adjective) : low in rank or condition -the dark shape and outline of someone visible against a lighter background 4) Which detail from the text best supports the following claim: The main theme is as we grow older, our memories of the past grow more positive.

Context: Emma Bartley is an American poet. Her writing often focuses on childhood and memories. In this poem, a speaker recalls memories of their backyard. As you read, take notes on what the speaker remembers of their backyard. It used to feel too big and mostly abandoned, leftover land between neighboring cul-de-sacs and the elementary school. Still, I would visit its few humble stations — the cracked stump by the fence always crawling with ants. The narrow space behind the garage lined with unused slate, just standing there waiting for my parents’ hands. Then there was the shady dirt under the old maple tree where I read, cradled or sinking between dying tentacle roots. Was there ever any glory there? I can remember a few humid evenings through the crack of the back door. Twilight hanging like a velvet curtain, the thinning pine trees at least only silhouettes. My parents would be at the top of the empty hill sitting at the rusty, wrought iron table, in an orb of orange candlelight. I knew they were eating artichoke with hot butter, scraping off the meat of the leaves with their teeth and just casting the rest away. -Humble (adjective) : low in rank or condition -the dark shape and outline of someone visible against a lighter background 5) How does the speaker’s feelings about the backyard compare to their parents?

Context: Emma Bartley is an American poet. Her writing often focuses on childhood and memories. In this poem, a speaker recalls memories of their backyard. As you read, take notes on what the speaker remembers of their backyard. It used to feel too big and mostly abandoned, leftover land between neighboring cul-de-sacs and the elementary school. Still, I would visit its few humble stations — the cracked stump by the fence always crawling with ants. The narrow space behind the garage lined with unused slate, just standing there waiting for my parents’ hands. Then there was the shady dirt under the old maple tree where I read, cradled or sinking between dying tentacle roots. Was there ever any glory there? I can remember a few humid evenings through the crack of the back door. Twilight hanging like a velvet curtain, the thinning pine trees at least only silhouettes. My parents would be at the top of the empty hill sitting at the rusty, wrought iron table, in an orb of orange candlelight. I knew they were eating artichoke with hot butter, scraping off the meat of the leaves with their teeth and just casting the rest away. -Humble (adjective) : low in rank or condition -the dark shape and outline of someone visible against a lighter background 6) Which pair of quotes from the text best supports the previous answer that the speaker's parents enjoyed their backyard more than the speaker did?