The following text is from Maggie Pogue Johnson's 1910 poem "Poet of Our Race." In this poem.the speaker is addressing Paul Laurence Dunbar, a Black author. Thou, with stroke of mighty pen. Hast told of joy and mirth, And read the hearts and souls of men As cradled from their birth. The language of the flowers. Thou hast read them all, And e'en the little brook Responded to thy call. Which choice best states the main purpose of the text? A) To praise a certain writer for being especially perceptive regarding people and nature B) To establish that a certain writer has read extensively about a variety of topics C To call attention to a certain writer's careful and elaborately detailed writing process D) To recount fond memories of an afternoon spent in nature with a certain writer

## Step 1<br />The first step in solving this problem is to understand the context of the poem. The poem is about a writer, Paul Laurence Dunbar, who is praised for his ability to understand and express the emotions and experiences of people and nature.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />Next, we need to analyze each of the given options in light of the poem's context. <br /><br />## Step 3<br />Option A suggests that the poem is praising the writer for his perceptiveness about people and nature. This aligns with the poem's context, as the speaker is praising Dunbar for his ability to understand and express the emotions and experiences of people and nature.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />Option B suggests that the poem is about the writer's reading habits. However, the poem does not focus on what Dunbar has read, but rather on his ability to understand and express the emotions and experiences of people and nature.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />Option C suggests that the poem is about the writer's writing process. However, the poem does not focus on the process of writing, but rather on the writer's ability to understand and express the emotions and experiences of people and nature.<br /><br />## Step 6<br />Option D suggests that the poem is about a personal experience with the writer. However, the poem does not focus on a personal experience, but rather on the writer's ability to understand and express the emotions and experiences of people and nature.