Who wrote 'Aftermath'?

• A. James Russell Lowell
• B. Longfellow
• C. Whittier
• D. Poe

Answer: (B)

Authorship and stylistic clues help identify who wrote a poem. The piece titled “Aftermath” fits Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s voice: a calm, reflective mood, clear and steady rhythm, and a focus on what remains after disruption, inviting moral consideration and renewal. Longfellow’s verse often turns from immediate events to their lasting implications, which aligns with a title like “Aftermath.” The other poets in the list—Poe with Gothic intensity, Whittier and Lowell with reformist or satirical tones—tend to produce works with noticeably different moods and subjects, making a serene, post-event meditation a better match for Longfellow. This combination of tone, cadence, and thematic focus is why Longfellow is the best fit for a poem named “Aftermath.”