After you have read the poem, reflect on, discuss, and write down careful answers to each of the following questions.

1. What does “The art of losing isn’t hard to master” mean?
2. What has the speaker lost? Describe the procession (the order) of the things she has lost. What is the most important thing the speaker has lost?
3. Explain the meaning of the final stanza of the poem. How does this stanza affect the meaning of the entire poem? Why does the speaker have to force herself to “write it”?
4. Define hyperbole. Where does Bishop use hyperbole in the poem? What is the effect of this hyperbole?
5. Why does the speaker keep repeating “The art of losing isn’t hard to master”?
6. What do you think this poem is really about?
7. What is ironic about the poem?