Page 145 - 100 Best Loved Poems - Teaching Unit
P. 145
“To a Mouse”
by Robert Burns, pages 26-28
Vocabulary
dominion – ruled-over land
coulter – the blade of a plough
1. The poem is written in a distinct voice. What is this non-standard English known as?
2. In the first stanza, the speaker explains why the mouse needs to run. What does the speaker
say in the second?
3. One of the most well known clichés comes from Burns’ poem: “The best-laid schemes of
mice and men…” What does this phrase refer to in the context of his poem?
4. What is the tone of the poem?
5. According to the speaker, how is the mouse in a better position in life?
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