This question is based on Selected Poems from Johnson, R et al(eds): New Poetry from Africa; Soyinka, (ed)…

Analyze the question: You are asked about the mood of "The Panic of Growing Older" by Lenrie Peters, a poem in the JAMB Literature in English poetry selection. Mood is the feeling or atmosphere the poem creates in the reader.

Explain the concept: Mood is conveyed by the poet's tone, imagery and subject matter. Here, the poem is a reflection on ageing, lost youth, the passing of time and the fading of the speaker's vitality and ideals.

Step-by-step solution:

1. The poem is about the anxiety and unease that come with growing older. The poet looks back at youthful days and sees time slipping away.
2. This calls for a serious, reflective, contemplative feeling. It is not light-hearted.
3. Check each option: • A. Sober: serious and thoughtful. This fits a meditation on ageing and mortality. • B. Boastful: no pride or bragging appears in the poem, so this is wrong. • C. Defiant: the speaker does not rebel against ageing. He acknowledges it with unease, so this is wrong. • D. Languid: this means slow, weak and lazy. The poem's tone is troubled and reflective, not simply lethargic, so this is a weaker fit.

Answer: The mood is sober, which is option A.

Tip: For mood questions, ask what the poem is about and how the poet feels about it. Poems about death, ageing or loss are usually sober, reflective or sombre, and rarely boastful or defiant unless the poet clearly protests.