The Arrival

The plane finally descends beneath a large cloud; I see an island coastline clearly defined. As the waves hit the shore, my heart beats aloud.

This tropical destination was merely a dream;
But now that the isle lies just ahead,
I wonder if things really are as they seem.

I blink several times and look anew;
The incredible mirage hasn’t faded away.
What I had once only dreamed about is true!

The plane glides through the sky, like a skater on ice,
Toward the runway’s glittering lights
That are pointing the way to my paradise.

How does the third stanza help develop the poem’s central theme?
• It provides an example of how traveling to an unfamiliar place can often be frightening.
• It supports the idea that something can be just as good as you imagined.
• It challenges the idea that if you want something very much, you can achieve it.
• It reinforces the idea that dreams come true only if you believe in yourself.


In the fourth stanza, the author uses a simile to describe the plane. What is the purpose of this simile?
• It provides a contrast between the narrator’s sadness and the serenity of the island.
• It suggests that the narrator feels peaceful while traveling to the island.
• It calls attention to the turbulence that the narrator is experiencing on the plane.
• It helps to set a detached tone about the narrator’s expectations.