First Thoughts 

1. Which poem do you like better? Why? Consider the feelings and ideas expressed by the speakers and the rhythm you feel in each poem. 

Shaping Interpretations 

2. What legacy did the speaker of each poem receive? What legacy does each speaker want instead?

3. What does Millay compare her mother’s courage to? What does her comparison suggest to you about the nature of courage?

4. What do you think the speaker of “Legacy II” means when he says that his grandfather stood at the center of the world that day?

Extending the Text

5. Do you think it’s possible for qualities like courage and wisdom to be handed down as legacies? Why or why not?