I found a dimpled spider, fat and white,
On a white heal-all, holding up a moth
Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth —
Assorted characters of death and blight
Mixed ready to begin the morning right,
Like the ingredients of a witches' broth —
A snow-drop spider, a flower like a froth,
And dead wings carried like a paper kite.
What had that flower to do with being white,
The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?
What brought the kindred spider to that height,
Then steered the white moth thither in the night?
What but design of darkness to appall?—
If design govern in a thing so small.
Notes
Originally written in 1912 and titled In White. oldpoetry.com/poetry/19454
Leave a guest comment (subject to review)
Comments
-
-
I really liked this version of the write much better than the first. My minds eye can grasp the scenary better with his adjustments to the wording of this write. I think he just simplified the write by using more common words that, to me, give a better description of the scene. Enjoyed reading this one.
-
Yes, this one was much easier to understand (one of my standards for good poetry). I think frost used more specific word choices in the second version. Maybe his vocabulary was bigger. And yes Silica, it gives a young poet hope.
Jennifer -
Although the similarities are marked between this and ‘In White’ I think this poem infinitely better – smoother rhyme and the message refined from dull to glistening bright. What a difference a couple of decades makes…
-
Hey robert frost rocks haha yeah right sure so just oding a report for school email me with some awesome poems!!!
Adding your comment:Forum topics
- what is the on poem Design •, with 1 responses
