Incident in a Rose

The gardener came running, A

An old man, out of breath. Garden
Fear had given him legs. By Donald Justice
Sir, I just encountered Death
Just now among the roses. 5
Thin as a sythe1 he stood there.
I knew him by his pictures. A First Speaker? (Hint: It’s
not the gardener)
He had his black coat on,
Black gloves, a broad black hat.
I think he would have spoken, 10
Seeing his mouth stood open
As soon as he beckoned, I ran.
I ran until I found you.
Sir, I am quitting my job. 15
I want to see my sons
Once more before I die.
I want to see California.

We shook hands; he was off.

And there stood death in the garden, 20
B Irony Alert! A connoiserur
Dressed like a Spanish waiter is an expert of something
Who because he likes arriving or someone who has an
appreciation of something
at all appointments early
Learns to think himself patient. 25
I watched him pinch one bloom off
And hold it to his nose—
A connoisseur of roses-- B
One bloom and then another.
They strewed the earth around him. 30
Sir; you must be that stranger
Who threatened my gardener.
This is my property sir. C
I welcome only friends here.

Death grinned, and his eyes lit up 35

With the pale glow of those lanterns
The workman carry sometimes
To light the way to dusk.
Now with great care he slid
The glove hand from his right hand 40
And held that out in greeting,
A little cage of bone.
Sir, I knew your father,
And we were friends in the end
As for your gardener,
I did not threaten him.
Old men mistake my gestures
I only mean to ask him
To show me to his master.
I take it you are he?

1. sythe: A tool with a long curved blade used for harvesting crops or cutting grass. Page 133
Figurative Devices Comprehension Questions
1. Which literary device is in the following 6. A brief summary for the poem is
lines: "Thin as a scythe he stood there..." A. A gardener believes that "Death" has
(6) come for him when it has really come for
A. Metaphor his employer
B. Personification B. Two men think that the grim reaper is
C. Simile after them
D. Allusion C. Death has come for an old man who still
wants to "see California". He tells his
2. Which literary device is being used in master about this and death goes after
the following lines: "Sir, I encountered him instead
Death just now among the roses..." (4-5) D. None of the above
A. Metaphor
B. Personification
C. Simile Poetic Elements
D. Allusion 7. The conflict in "Incident in a Rose Garden"
A. Man vs. man
3."He had his black coat on/Black gloves, a B. Man vs. society
broad black hat..." (8-9). These lines C. Man vs. omnipotent (unknown)
contain examples of which two literary D. Man vs. himself
sound devices?
A. Alliteration and rhyme 8. The poem could best be described as
B. Repetition and rhyme a(n)..
C. Repetition and alliteration A. lyric poem
D. None of the above B. narrative poem
C. monologue
4."... and his eyes lit up/With the pale glow D. sonnet
of those lanterns..." (35-36). This
comparison is a 9. The poem’s ending is
A. Metaphor A. humorous
B. Personification B. nostalgic
C. Simile C. scornful
D. Allusion D. ironic

5."And there stood Death in the 10. The main speaker and narrator in the
garden,/Dressed like a Spanish waiter..." poem is
This simile is comparing A. the master
A. Death to the garden B. Death
B. Death's appearance and a Spanish C. the gardener
waiter D. Unknown
C. the garden and the Spanish waiter
D. Death's stance to the waiter's dress

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Making Inferences
11. At the end of the poem, Death's hand being referred to as "a cage of bone" suggests that
A. the hand is deformed
B. the hand is old, ashy, and raggedy; needs some lotion
C. he wants to be friends with the man who owns the garden
D. the hand may capture the person who shakes it

12. The master could best be described when confronting Death as

A. generous
B. fearless
C. afraid
D. defensive

13. Identifying Death as a “connoisseur of roses” is ironic because—

A. the gardener is afraid of him
B. he appreciates roses by destroying them
C. he is also described as a Spanish waiter
D. he has not come to the garden to pick roses

Prompt:
14. How does the poet use such devices as figurative language, diction, and imagery to create an
ominous tone? (Please choose one device). Support your answer with evidence from the selection.

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