At the Sea-Side

When I was down beside the sea A wooden spade they gave to me To dig the sandy shore. My holes were empty like a cup, In every hole the sea came up, Till it could come no more.

From At the Sea-Side by Robert Louis Stevenson (1885). Public domain.

Check your understanding

1. What tool does the speaker use to dig in the sand?

A plastic shovelA wooden spadeA metal spoonA sea shell

2. What happens to the holes the speaker digs?

They fill with dry sand.They get too deep to see.They fill up with sea water.They break the wooden spade.

3. The speaker says the holes were 'empty like a cup.' What does this comparison help you picture about the holes?

4. Why does the sea come up 'Till it could come no more'? What is happening in the sand?

5. How do you think the speaker feels while playing beside the sea? Use clues from the poem to explain your idea.