10
QuizMultiple Choice

Beat Movement Spontaneous Prose

Question 10 • Hopkins FA American Literature (2026-2027)

Why is “The Railroad Earth” considered both poetry and prose?

Answer
A
It contains poetic elements but is much longer than typical poetry.
B
It is conventional in structure but has the detailed descriptions characteristic of poetry.
C
It is a flowing narrative that has poetic rhythm but no line breaks.
D
It contains internal rhyme schemes but uses them to describe a nonfiction story.

Explanation

“The Railroad Earth” reads as a continuous narrative rather than a poem divided into lines, so it has the appearance of prose. Its flowing language and rhythmic, poetic quality give it features of poetry as well. That combination matches the choice describing a narrative with poetic rhythm but no line breaks.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.