XAT 2022 — VARC Question 24
Read the poem carefully, and answer the TWO questions that follow.
It hurts to walk on new legs:
The curse of consonants. The wobble of vowels.
And you for whom I gave up a kingdom
Can never love that thing I was.
When you look into my past
You see
Only weeds and scales.
Once I had a voice.
Now I have legs.
Sometimes I wonder
Was it a fair trade?
What does the author BEST mean by “Once I had a voice. /Now I have legs?”
Answer & solution
The poet is contemplative of his/her identity
- B
The poet has lost his/her speech
- C
The poet puts less value on the new world
- D
The poet’s actions speak louder than his/her words now
- E
The poet is indecisive about choosing between the two worlds
"Once I had a voice / Now I have legs / Sometimes I wonder / Was it a fair trade?"
Option E indicates that the poet has a choice, which is invalid according to the lines. Hence, it is eliminated.
Option B is being literal about the poet losing their speech. Hence, it is also eliminated.
Options C and D are vague and not reflected in the poem.
Option A is the best choice for the answer.