Which allusion from “A Poem for My Librarian, Mrs. Long” best shows how reading fueled the speaker’s imagination?

Question

Which allusion from “A Poem for My Librarian, Mrs. Long” best shows how reading fueled the speaker’s imagination?

The neighbors, discussing the political
Situation congratulating the preacher
On his sermon
I heard nat king cole and matt dennis, june christy and ella fitzgerald
And sometimes sarah vaughan sing black coffee
Which I now drink
Mrs. Long asking what are you looking for today
When I wanted Leaves of Grass or alfred north whitehead
She would go to the big library uptown and I now know
Hat in hand to ask to borrow so that I might borrow
But there was a world
Somewhere
Out there
And Mrs. Long opened that wardrobe

Answer 1

The allusion to "Leaves of Grass" by Walt Whitman and "Alfred North Whitehead" shows how reading fueled the speaker's imagination by indicating a desire for poetry and philosophy that transport the reader to another world. The mention of borrowing books from the big library uptown suggests that reading expands the speaker's horizons and allows them to escape into different realms of thought and creativity. Mrs. Long's role in providing access to these books symbolizes the importance of librarians in nurturing a love for reading and imagination.