Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Stopping By Woods-Robert Frost

Okay, I promise I'll stop posting so much Frost soon, but his poems are great, and the whole point of poetry (usually) is to identify with it. And I can identify with this one. People can look at this poem and only see the words, but there's a meaning that can be wrested from it: the woods could be death, or solitary life. And those things are appetizing sometimes. Frost is attracted to the woods, but he's held back by the people and promises he's made, as well as the "miles to go" before he's allowed to "sleep." Always, I think, we should be looking for the deeper meanings in poems. Because they are there.

Stopping By Woods

Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know,
His house is in the village though.
He will not see me stopping here,
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer,
To stop without a farmhouse near,
Between the woods and frozen lake,
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake,
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep,
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

4 comments:

  1. Definitely right. I mean...I have to love him, and I feel sad and sorry when others don't. : )

    ReplyDelete
  2. This has nothing to do with Frost, but I was reading Byron and came across a stanza in Childe Harold's Pilgramage that I thought you would like. I can relate to it anyway:

    And now Childe Harold was sore sick at heart,
    And from his fellow bacchanals would flee;
    'Tis said, at times the sullen tear would start,
    But Pride congeal'd the drop within his ee;
    Apart he stalk'd in joyless reverie,
    And from his native land resolv'd to go,
    And visit scorching climes beyond the sea;
    With pleasure drugg'd, he almost long'd for woe,
    And e'en for change of scene would seek the shades below.

    We'll have to discuss it more, once things slow down a bit. Chew on it though and let me know what you think.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Now I know why my mom always says "and miles to go before we sleep." Her English teacher in high school was in love with Robert Frost. :)

    ReplyDelete