Question

Which two lines in this excerpt from the poem "A Grain of Sand" by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper indicates its subject? Do you see this grain of sand Lying loosely in my hand? Do you know to me it brought Just a simple loving thought? When one gazes night by night On the glorious stars of light, Oh how little seems the span Measured round the life of man.

Answer 1

The first two lines in this excerpt from "A Grain of Sand" by Frances Ellen Watkins indicate its subject, which is the very grain of sand. In the first line it is mentioned explicitly, whereas in the second one it is replaced with the third person singular pronoun it: "Do you know to me it (the grain of sand) brought just a simple loving thought?". It is a quite common resource for authors, since the use of pronouns prevent poems, as well as other kinds of literary and non-literary works, from being repetitive, that is, pronouns help authors avoid using the same word or term over and over again.