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.
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School
From guest Louise (contact)
I was made to memorize this in first grade! I didnt think much of it then, but now I realize how beautiful this poem actually is. -
great poem
From guest smiley (contact)
This poem is great! It shows how Robert Frost is such a good poet, and i promise that at once you will hear someone say "miles to go before I sleep", and i know what they are talking about!! (For once) -
it is aesome
From guest christina (contact)
I think this poem is mysterieous and comforting. When I found out the truth about this poem, I was soo surprised!! I was glad that he didn't kill himself because he is a fantastic poet!1 -
i love this poem
From guest lily (contact)
i love this poem! hey did you guyz know that Robert Frost almost want to kill him self whem he wrote this poem that is what it means when it says "but promises to keep, and miles to go before i sleep, and miles to gobefore i sleep," but he did not kill him self cause had promises to keep. -
stopping by woods on a snowy evening
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.
These last four lines was the favourite of our Jawaharlal Nehru's. That's how many of us Indians were introduced to Robert Frost. The four lines, simple though it may seem, holds depth of meaning. The woods though inviting, with its sheen of mystery, cannot detain him (though he would like to penetrate), since he has other commitments to fulfill before he closes his eyes.
Nuggehalli Pankaja -
beep, neigh, today
"Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening" was a poem I didn't come across in High School, but was made an obligation away from my daydreams or exploratory reading, which I was to find sympathy with in the piece!
It's conclusion has one compute to cut a party over property so to speak short of being in the neighborhood, as even the owner has "His house is in the village though" thus it's a shame of an emotional mutiplex? Not saying a whole lot with trying everything, and projects strung out is sensitively sensed. But moreso, a full grown man might have felt fanciful having a feel at nature if not on own.
Complex though, no promenades to be on the premises singles out single possibility as a melancholy walk or ride which could squelch the joy of finding season change for a guess thinking of friend not being a recluse. So responsibility is considered it seems around "To stop without a farmhouse near" in way one might have a funk to enjoy the radio by oneself with antrance to dancing when you know you should be working too.
Yet not only by cinema can it be always or other's convincings...
The rut is thought out by an animal of habit we've made join us, to be reminded and not aberrantly apparently. There isn't a jingle of enjoyment at the reigns being lost of control almost with :
"He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake"
so it's like a dog bringing the leash when you're stuck at just sitting on the porch, perhaps, or somebody else's or land that's strangely attractive as retreat enough where scaping could crop up.
Early twilighlight chills things faster, for instance toes>>>
Hewed in the new hues rose for me --
take some leave however when you may not feel like leaving now due to be desires to stay but then won't want to be a leaver later with the lever at committing to exhaustion and guilt of short cutting the trip home by erring to not being able to fufill errands. Also, those needs may be around one's yards even since "miles to go before I sleep" is reiterated, where it could be recalulated mileage in terms simply by steps of chores around the house if 5,000 minimum is in mind.
There is then enthusiasm for the turn to to tune into 'let's wash, let's do something, and when we're scrubbing, we aren't going to be bored are we, with nearness to rest and expenditure might be so satisfactory it can make a visit neat elsewhere afterwards!' while we can't look at ants per se with pregnant thoughts versus just ideas! -
ms. pope's favorite poem
From guest myself (contact)
Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening by: robert frost -
i love it
From guest williams carolina william (contact)
dis is by far one of mai favorites... i have mlies to go before i sleep...many miles -
i love this poem
From guest jack johnson (contact)
i love this poem because it is metaphoric in many ways...and i have miles to go before i sleep...<3 loved it -
great
From guest hose30 (contact)
I loved it. It told a story and I liked also his simplicity. The repeating of the last lines for emphasis. I loved the rhyme in this poem also.I think he was a great poet.Who wrote form his heart. -
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my favorite
I read this in high school. It was a favorite of mine. The last two lines I thought he fell asleep and the horses knew their way home. One of my poems I had to memorize and still remember. -
Talloaks
From guest Sandra Reynolds (contact)
This poem has always been my favorite since High school days. I had to memorize it. -
I know, Jorge Luís Borges, analyse the poem as a reference to death as well, in fact he points out the necesssity of the last repetition, as a daring thing as well, is the reference to death. Since, just sleeping is not death. Sleeping twice, adds the athemporal statis and thus death.
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makes me wonder
From guest Saurabh Suman Sinha (contact)
every time i read this poem, i am compelled to wonder if there is really a similarity between the present poem and Davies' "Leisure". one must agree that the life today is much faster and busier, leaving less time for a person himself or herself as the day and days pass by. In that moment when one stops to look around or 'smell the roses' as a more popular expression may describe, something seems 'queer' and yet the sense of responsibility does overcome the desire to wait and look. -
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A very interesting comparison. To me Davies' poem, http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/6303-William-Henry-Davies-Leisure is an indication of someone quite definitely taking time without any sense of urgency to view nature in all her beauty.
Frost's poem on the other hand suggests to me someone in a hurry on a definite journey who has taken the time to stop and observe a very specific scene and, within that scene, nature removing many of her traces under the blanket of falling snow. In this case the traveller has a very definite and important itinerary to maintain.
The one very concious of leisure the other very concious of pressure and yet still they do have great similarities.
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From guest mark johnson (contact)
over the years of my own difficulty. there were times when i would recite these words and sadly press on through that particular moment that was incapsulating me at the time. favourite -
Inspiring me always
From guest Gopal Sarma (contact)
I don't know exactly when it was written . But whenever I read this poem I feel an eternal inspiration and responsibility to self and society. -
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Written in 1923 !
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Vive's spiffeh anyalyzation thing? xD :P
From guest Viveh (contact)
I think that Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowing Evening” is poem filled with symbolization about a man contemplating suicide. He stops in the middle of the woods during a cold winter evening, and looks out into the woods thoughtfully. The owner of the woods is in the village where he won’t be able to see the man stopping. The man discreetly came to a stop in the middle of the woods where he could be shunned to the rest of the world for a brief period of time. He has privacy. The man had probably made the trip through the woods many times before, but never stopped like he has now. The horse notices the break in pattern and wonders what the cause was. Stopping in the middle of an ice land would turn them into frozen dead men, or horses, unless they got to a warm area such as a farmhouse. The man is trying to decide whether to pull the plug on his life or keep on going. He is stuck between the frozen lake and his life. The horse rings his bell to try and signal the man to stop dawdling and part with the woods. The horse wants to distract the man from his negative thoughts. The horse is like his guardian angel. Typically, the winter solstice, December 21st, was the date in which all of this happens. The earth is tilted far on its side, so the sun hits the earth for a shorter amount of time on that day then any other, resulting with the darkest day of the year. The darkest day of the year is also the darkest day of his life. The woods are “lovely, dark, and deep”. The man longs to cave into the temptation to go into the woods; into the carefree zone where all of his burdens would be lifted off his chest. The miles represent his time left in life, and the sleep symbolizes death. Death is someplace someone contemplating suicide would be relieved to swim into. Life is probably hard for them and they do not want to go on any longer. The man knows he has lots of things to do before he can “sleep”. He realizes he has things to get back too. He isn’t ready to die. The man has over come his temptation and has the power to continue on his journey. He has miles to go before he sleeps. -
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good analysis
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Thank You!
From guest Graham Hall (contact)
This poem came up in a discussion yesterday. I had read it in the 9th grade. That was 45 years ago. The last four lines have been etched in my brain for all that time. The preceeding lines needed help. Thank you for making it easy!!! On the poem itself... Just sit quietly. If you have memories of woods and snowfall, remember them. Now, read the lines and close your eyes. If you feel the snowflakes and see the woods, you have discovered Robert Frost. If not - try again! :) Gray -
i love you
From guest james (contact)
feel like writing an essay comparing this to the road not taken, which consider the themes choice, ambition and death? -
From guest A monk Repent Cult (contact)
I like the way the last 2 lines say the same thing and have completely different meanings... I think the first is talking about the physical miles, while the second is about time left before he dies -
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Funny you should say that, because another point of view could say.. If you follow his rhyme scheme (aaba bbcb ccdc dddd)he couldn't have ended the poem with the second to last line. To put a close on the poem he needed the fourth line. Although it fits perfectly there and ... well I'll just stop there. Just putting it out there..
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Stopping By woods On A Snowy Evening
From guest Walter Gray (contact)
I think the poet is enthralled by the beauty of the scene, which he alone is witnessing, and would like to linger longer, but acknowledges that his journey and commitments prevent him from doing so.
I would not have considered that he would have been nurturing dark thoughts of suicide,but if he was, then,the wonder of nature would have dispersed them. -
From guest Walter Gray (contact)
I think this poem is one of the most beautiful I have ever read.
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
And I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep".
These words are so evocative.truly lovely. -
The Truth
This poem isn't about suicide or anything of the sort. You really shouldn't put words into the poets mouth. He is literally painting a picture of a man riding a horse from town back to his house and on his way he stops to notice the beautiful woods and light snow falling. The horse thinks it's queer (odd) to stop there because they've made this trip many times and have never stopped before. He may have some troubles in his life but in this moment he is taking in the beauty. Then he realizes he has stuff to do and a long way to go before he's home, so he snaps out of it and most likely continues his journey home. -
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I'm sorry, I disagree
Frost always tried to make his readers think about what he wrote. He once said that "poetry is the only permissible way to sa one thing and mean another". While yes - he is brilliant at simply describing the scenery, most of his poems also contain a deeper meaning. I'm not going to pretend that I know what he means by this poem, but considering the fats about Frost's way of writing, it'd be very unlikely that he hasn't hidden some message 'between the lines'. It's far too vague to not be so. -
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I ain't mad at cha
That's the thing with poetry though. Usually the only thing you can go by is the words on the paper, because most have past on. So to read into a poem is really just placing your own emotions and thought into it, usually biased. I'm not saying poetry doesn't have hidden meanings just that in this poem, in my opinion, there's not enough evidence to read what most people read into it.
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mysteriously beautiful
wondering what hes trying to communicate about who the woods belong to Maybe the woods are his final place but he cant stop he must keep going because of his promises -
I always loved this poem, because it gets the reader thinking, "Is he talking about physical miles, or emotional and spiritual miles?" We do not know if he has miles to go, as in, growing more spiritually, or actually has to ride on to meet someone. I love this poem.
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what i love about poetry is that anyone can get somthing out of a poem...what one person thinks a poem means can be completly opposite to what others think or to what the actual poet was thinking..but its cool because poetry always keeps me guessing ..i love robert frost because his poems always make me think and try to find deeper meaning
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this has always been one of my favoretpoems
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What I find interesting is how you all assume that the narrator is a "him." Now, I'm not trying to be a feminist about this, but where in the poem does it say the speaker is a man? It says the horse and the owner of the woods is a man, but it does not say if the speaker is a man or woman. It is assumed, because Frost wrote the poem, that this is a man. More than likely the speaker is a man, but I just wanted to point that fact out.
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good point, but I did assume that the poem was Robert Frosts own personal thought.
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My favourite poem ever.
This is the first poem I ever learnt to recite.
I remember sitting in the kitchen with my father has explained to me what different lines of the poem meant. It is about a man contemplating suicide. But he has miles to go (the road/years of life) and promises to keep(choosing not to hurt those he will leave behind).
If someone could please explain if there is deeper meaning behind the first three lines, whos woods are these I think I know, his house in the village though?
This poem just resonates right through you. -
I had to read this back in 10th grade for English class. I still enjoy reading it now, though. Love the rhyming!
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Very good writer
Robert Frost had a way with words he capture the moment quite well. stays frozen in time with his words which i never tire from since reading him in high school even now twenty plus years later i still love his work as much as i did back then. -
memorable
".promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep" I would be hard pressed to guess how many times over the years these words have played across my mind. Times when I knew that much of the road lay before me. When I was weary just reciting these words seemed to spark a new flame.
Another 'saying' that has helped me is " A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step."
It has been many years since first I read Mr. Frost's words and to me the poem is like someone standing beside you and placing their arm across your shoulder, a slight shake and a squeeze. I sincerely thank Mr. Frost for taking the time to pen these words -
on his tiring journey, especially on a cold winter evening... his temptation to stop by the beautiful woods... just for that night... which he overcomes...
and the will power to continue with his journey... because of the promises he had to keep ... and as he has to miles to go... to reach his ultimate home...
it could also have a deeper meaning...
with beautiful woods as a metaphor for graveyard...
the ultimate home... as death and the journey as life...
and the horse's harness bell ... his instinct or conscious mind ... to guide him away from his negative thoughts or distractions...
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The first stanxa (1-4) is pretty simple, by saying tha the owner of this land wont notice his being there, and through out the poem it hints of his death.
The second stanza (5-8)is rather interesting, as he is says "the darkest evenig of the year" this is a little puzzling, though it sounds as if peraphs he was going through some dark times, some "dark" times.
The third stanza (9-12) is the somone tellling him, the horse in this case, is there some mistake? please dont do this, and all that, and that hes thiking how easy it would be, that now one else is even there, its desserted, perfect place to die.
Though The fourth staza (13-16) Is saying that though its tempting, but he heas promises to keep, he owes himself and others more, and he has miles to go, years to go,lifes to live, before he dies, and he decides it isnt his time.
This is definetly one of my Robert Frost favorites.
If he were around today, I would praise to him what a good writer he is and how i admire his works, bein definetly and truly, a fan.
So Good Write! -
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First of all, the first 4 lines have not even the slightest hint of death in them. I stopped to watch the snow fall in the woods and the owner lives in town so he won't know. You should be carful when putting words into a late poets mouth.
Second, next stanza your taking a leap with inferring that darkest evening means thinking about suicide.
9-12 He is stating how peaceful and quiet and beautiful the scenery is. Have you ever gazed at snow falling on a dark night?
I wish he was still here to tell you not to put your own experiences into his poems. -
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why Robert frost writes in the poem that the owner of the woods won't see him stopping there if it wasn't to point some dark thought that he probably had?If u could explain it to me it would b great.how can woods be lovely and dark at the same time?I think that the main difference here between he trying to suicide and stating how scenery was, is the climate being cold enough to have probably kill them (the horse and dude)if they had stay just a little bit longer,dont u think?If the climate would have cold enough to kill them if they had stayed a little more there, maybe he would've wanted to commit suicide but if it wasn't cold enough he would have just wanted to admire the scenery.
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AMAZING
the following stanza shows that we dont have much time to ponder about nature or to praise it.We are busy in our dull life and ignore whats there in nature for us.Its beautiful lovely poem.Lines are so simple we can easily imagine what the poet is trying to say.
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. -
simply the best!
one of my earliest poety recollections ....I can still picture the rider and horse breaking the silence of the falling flakes with a few horse bells tinkling .....just wish there was more as I can also hear the horse snorting and impatience at his riders need to linger here in the darkened frigid air of winter's solstice frosty with the horses breath -
I am so humbled and so inspired by this poem. It is nonpariel
I find such warmth in this poem a warmth that is added to by the contrast of its setting. It is an expansion on and within a pause in time, and we the readers are invited to step within its confines momentarily. We are allowed to share with the poet his perceptions and thoughts...and the sharing is so very kindly and gently conveyed and the scene, he so masterfully describes, is so quietingly silent. -
Delightful
The (almost childlike) simplicity of utterance which is one of Robert Frost's hallmarks, is evident in this
poem which conveys its image without any artificiality or obscurity.
One can sense the snowcovered miles that the rider and mount have still to cover.
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Very easy to read yet profound with simple language....amazing!
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I love this poem. It's like being rocked to sleep, but just as your eyes close being unceremoniously dumped out of the cradle and expected to brush yourself down and move on.... Does anyone understand what I mean?
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yes, like he was in a hypnotic state, and then shook out of it.
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I have never seen know, atleast not a lot of it. But he paints such a picture with it, i feel like I am there in the snow seeing what he sees and feeling what he feels. This man is trully a Gifted man.
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Such a beautiful image, watching the snow fall in the forest, seeing the limbs weigh down from the beautiful white carpets of ice. The poems form that this is written in is awesome and flowed rather well from my lips. An awesome piece!
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beautiful
I love the creative power of the Rhyme. Marina Cvetaeva said that the people want the rhymes. this meaning that, although sometimes used in poor thoughts, it is something that captures our attention, make us turn the head. A young who starts reading poetry should be aware of how deep in ourselves the rhyme is rooted. And not only as a way to keep our attention, it something more, a reminiscence of the old times, of when we could not speak, and only sing. -
this is my all time favourite poem. every time i read i am enthralled. and i never miss a chance to read this poem, whenever i get it. the word used in this poem are so simple, yet so beautiful. the imagery is so perfect.
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One of the first poems I ever heard
I love this poem -
Like a few other comments I have read, this too was my first poetic experience if I can call it that. This was the first piece of poetry I was really introduced to in Jr. High, probably because the teacher liked the meter and it was a great example of an amazing piece of poetry. I've always remembered it, because I was fascinated at how the words just went together so well. I've just about memorized it by now, but even so, every time I read it it seems to be better than the last. =)
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Who walks alone in the night? Or even who rides alone in the night? Can’t you see, what has changed? Snow is a beautiful thing when you are alone, afoot, and miles from home.
Your comfort, makes you fear the slightest discomfort,
Your passion for a better life has left you starved.
I don’t curl by the glowing TV, like an old dog by the fire. I like to walk at night, I’ll take a nettle or two, or a barbed wire fence, but I like to walk at night, even if it is snowing.
This is what you should get from and old Poem! -
Inspiring
This poem is the one that made a lasting impression on me as a child. Made me develope an interst in poetry and story telling. My personal favorite poem of all time.~~Suseann -
i love the end. Frost was a very faithful friend.
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Very Beautiful Poem
How Very Realistic approach...One of the best rather the best poem by the Great Thinker Frost -
"It has a spiritual, inspiring and ethereal feel which is unmatched by any other piece of writing." Wow. This description so entices me, I can only thank my ninth grade English teacher for cramming this one down my throat in time to digest it before I stuck the oldpoetry gun in my mouth.
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This poem is the one the first got me into poetry actually, in junior high we had to do a poetry unit and i thought oh no poetry but when i read this one i became fasicnated with it! RObert frost is my favortie poet!!
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This was one of the first poems by Robert Frost that I ever read, at the time I didn't realize it or his popularity, and it has remained by favorite since. I had to memorize a poem for extra credit in high school English class, and while I was flipping through my textbook, I came across this wonderful poem. I memorized it in that period, but my teacher was busy, so I didn't recite it. I kept repeating in my head all day though. Even when I was in French, reciting a dialogue, I almost blurted this out. Throughout that year I would continuously find myself muttering this under my breath or even writing it out completely word for word on a binder. I never did recite it for that extra credit, but I don't think I'll ever get this one out of my head It just flows so well, and the rhyme is just so on. The imagery, literal and otherwise, has and always will stick with me.
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People spoke about suicide here. HHmmmm..... I like seeing things from a positive angle.
The first part of the poem examines the wood in lovely detail. Its enchanting beauty captures the poet's journey to a standstill. He admires, and admires, and admires the woods, even though his horse thinks its queer to stop.
I agree that 'sleep' in the ending stanza refers to death. The poet cannot stop long in these woods he admires so much, because he has duties to perform.
"Miles to go before I sleep."
He says he has enormous responsibility. And repitition of that is not a sign of tireness, but of resolve rather.
You know, its always the same world over. When somethings are of great origin, people refuse to believe its simple. they are stubborn that it must have something complicated, something hidden, cause its of great origin. -
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Frost was a lot deeper than that. And it is actually a positive poem as he chooses not to take his life. For people contemplating suicide this would be a very comforting poem.
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The last stanza just has to be my favorite of the whole poem. To me it just says so much in so little words. I heard this on a show and had no idea what it was but I knew I love it. Then in English did I know it was a Robert Frost. This is one of my Favs by him.
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This is undoubetedly one of Frosts best poems (or indeed the best)...
The rhyming scheme just rocks...never read anything like it before...It reminds me of good times when i first read it in school...
The last stanza (last four verses) in my opinion actually are the best verses of the whole poem and have many layers of meaning in them...its upto the reader as to how he interprets it...
My interpretation used to be that the poet is a simply great naturalist like wordsworth and hes just praising the beauty of the wild forests and mother nature...but in these comments i read that there were people who thought it is suicidal...well i dont agree with them but it might still imply towards suicide but the point that dissuades me from beleiving it suicidal is that the poet says that he has 'miles to go before he sleeps'...and also 'promises to keep' I didnt think that when once a person decides to lay down his life he thinks too highly of his unfulfilled promises...Anyway thats my opinion, dunno if anyone agrees with me...
But one thing is for sure the poem absolutely rocks...
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This is such a beautiful poem with very nice analogy to life.
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this is one of my all time favorite poems and my favorite by Frost. I love all his poems though... the rhyme schemes are simply amazing and how he can put so much thought into so few lines....
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This is my all time favorite.Read this as a child,as was so intranced with it. Made me start to love poetry.So inspiring that it puts you alone in the sled beside him surveying the scene. Awaken all your feelings of exploring life. Suseann
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'maybe i had miles to drive
and promises to keep'(leonard cohen)
Insprirng stuff. Nuff' said. -
Up in Illinois, we lived on quite a bit of property, which had woods with a creek running through them. Our driveway was like a quarter of a mile long, and when I was little my mom and I would walk down the driveway in the snow and recite this poem. I love this poem so much...it reminds me of when I was little =).
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hm.
i heard it's about suicide.
"He will not see me stopping here"- this is almost "it's okay, i can take 5 minutes off to contemplate suicide because no one will know" bit farfetched i know, but plausible nonetheless.
when i first read it i had the sense it was about giving up. the last line ~(reiterating the previous) sounds tired, and capitulated.."And miles to go before i sleep," the first time he says this, it's almost said with purpose as it follows on from "But I have promises to keep" telling us he has a lot more to accomplish before he comes back to this dreary-eyed sleep world or death- as some say. but the second time..sounds less enthusiastic and the idea of living-on sounding more tedious. the repetition of the line changes the previous line too "But I have promises to keep"- displaying it in a different context: promises becoming ties, ties that prevent him from staying in this "limbo" where he is neither living or dead: pit stop.
the last two lines are almost hypnotic, the whole poem is very sleep-orientated, "downy flake" - the fall of snow reflect the falling into sleep.
"My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near" - i love this, my favourite bit.. i mean, a "pragmatic horse" : it's wonderful! Personification of the horse epitomises what people would think of this pertinacious behaviour, in both senses. In the literal sense: there is no point in stopping in the middle of nowhere for nothing. In the metaphorical: suicide should not be contemplated, but either done or not done..there should be no decision to it, for if it was meant to be, it would have been. also, suicide in Frosts' time was less understood than nowadays, so yes..thought of as very "queer"..especially when the mind frame of the suidal person is not known, which is often the case. poor horse
"The darkest evening of the year." - darkness is often associated with death, though interpreted as a sad and horrible place. here, darkness is the comfort...the light at the end of the tunnel if you like (
hehe) peace after the dying and suffering within life. "The woods are lovely, dark and deep." - very comforting imagery darkness reveals.
i have a theory about suicide and dying, although heavily flawed. i believe you automatically start dying the second you contemplate suicide...the thought of escape never leaves once you turn this corner. it's unfortunate that this has to be the case.
"He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake." - hehe, i love this horse...it's all confuzzled, but simultaneously seeming to have more sense than it's rider.
dunno why i exploded the poem like i have done, i suppose it's because this is my favourite poem by Frost and never had the chance to explore it in any kind of depth before.
i have a new kind of respect for this one..
sara
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maybe also "very Queer" could also refer to the depression side of things and expressing ones darkest thoughts, at this time it was somthing you just did not do, you just got on with it.
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queer refers to what the horse thought. The horse didn't understand why they stopped because animals are used to patterns and every other time they just kept on going not stopping till home.
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Oh my goodness, this brought back such wonderful memories of the first time I heard this. Sigh.
♥ Kimberly -
I read this before I knew it was famous and liked it anyway... I even put it to song without changing any words- a rare sign of a truly great poem...
Edited on Jan 26, 11:42 p.m. because '...Oft I err...'. -
We were reading this poem at school, and one of the people in my class thought it was about suicide. Immediately, after she said that, I began to notice a different meaning in this poem that I'd never seen before.
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep" Perhaps the woods are a metaphor for death...to some suicidal people, death can be seen as beautiful, a lovely escape from a painful life.
"But I have promises to keep" The speaker in this poem may have promised someone that he wouldn't kill himself, and this is the promise that he speaks of.
The ending lines in the poem seem to suggest that the speaker is giving up..."miles to go"...he seems to already be tired of the journey, although he hasn't even started it. That's what I think...I'm probably wrong.
The rhyme scheme in this is beautifully done...I didn't notice it until the second time I read it, and then, I was amazed. I've never seen this rhyme scheme before, and I really liked it
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Trying to come up with the meanings to this poem is difficult for me. I find myself disagreeing with about everyone I have discussed it with.
The significance of the owner and his house in the village is of a great importance. Verse two makes it clear that he has not stopped for the horse's sake. Perhaps the lovely deep and dark woods are a symbol or metaphor? Maybe they represent his thoughts about the house in the village, and it's owner. I speculate that his thoughts are in conflict with his earthly and spiritual promises (Marriage Vows, Creed, etc). Maybe his thoughts are in some way adulterous? ("promises to keep")
The miles to go may be a metaphor for the journey in life he has decided to take, and as a young man, he recognises that such decisions will have to last a lifetime?
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I had to click on this when I saw it as it was my inspiration for a recent contest poem I'd written. This is my favorite of Frost's work. You don't often see chain rhymes with this form, but he did it so well...
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A very good choice to post this poem of Robt. Frost. He'll always top the charts in my book.
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Oh, wow. I had to explicate this poem for my CW class final just about a week ago, and I got an A. =) Coincidence always amazes me.
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Well i have nothing original to say about this peice. Of coarse Frost was amazing, thanks to whoever featured this it's sure to inspire
ZIGGY -
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS POEM! IT WAS THE 1ST POEM I'VE EVER READ IN MY LIFE AND GOT ME STARTED ON POETRY! MY GRANDMOTHER GAVE IT TO ME WHEN I WAS 7! I'M SOOO HAPPIE TO SEE IT HONORED HERE!
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This is my absolute favorite frost poem! Gotta love this one! Always thought the last four lines are a great example of frost's awesome skills... Thanks for posting this! It's been a minute since I last read this one...
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Frost is so wonderful, and this of course, is quite possibly one of my five favorites by him... the overly publicized, yet classic, road not taken is still my all-time favorite, more out of sentiment than quality. thanks for sharing. much love.
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I really enjoy this poem. I have read it so many times to my six year old that I know it by heart. That and The Raven by Poe. This poem always leaves me feeling meloncholy and a little disenchanted. I think it's beautiful.
~Destiny~` -
Very nice! The rhyme scheme is very unique and helps to add to the creativity of the writing. This is a very descriptive piece, and the title reminds me of poems by Robert Frost who was an EXCELLENT poet. Nice work! Keep it up.
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Though I have never seen this listed as a sonnet or even a sonnet variant, I have to wonder if that was what Frost was thinking on writing this, it has a sonnet style with a twin refrain to finish in iambic octometer.
The more I look at this piece, the more poetic skill I can see woven into it, line one alone has its words far more precisely placed than would first appear, with the alliteration of the first two words controling the pace with which the reader will read, closely followed but the change of syntax to give the meter its full force. I feel Frost intoned this poem (intentional or not) with a subtle darker tale. From line two he tell that the owner of the woods he is admiring lives in the village and line three explaines that it is beyond sight, now starts the undertone, having been established that the wood is out of other people's sight and on the darkest night of the year (Winter solstice 21 Dec), even his horse, gives his harness bells a shake as if nervous to create the only sound other than the gentle wind.
I love the way line thirteen has been structured, the pause before the words dark and deep, (out of character with the rest of the poem ) only adds to the strength of these to hard stressed syllables. To which Frost then jumps straight back into the rhythm again with what appears to be an excuse to leave this place. ( Almost as if the poet frightened himself with his words ) and instantly followed by the refraining lines. Reading this out-loud, I can't help but read the last two lines, getting softer and softer with the rhythm of a horse galloping away into the distance.
I've never really read a lot of Frost so I could be well of the mark, but after reading this excellent piece I shall definately read more.
Andrew -
Promises to keep, dreams to fulfill and miles to go before I sleep....for ever...what a beautiful summery of life.
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This poem is my favorite. I'm a fairly big Frost fan, and I think this poem just kicks all his other ones' ass. It's just so calming, so touching, that stopping in the middle of nowhere, watching the woods, as I used to do myself before developers tore down the woods near my house. I just cannot get enough of this poem, and the influence it has on society is still evident today. If you ever saw the movie "Dreamcatcher", which is based on a book by Stephen King, one of the characters recites those final four lines,
"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."
Truly one of the greatest modern poems ever written in my humble opinion. Robert Frost is my favorite. -
ahh!!!! most lovely!! i love woods.. this is very calming.. and again..thanks to ye who sponsered!!!
xxx
scarlet -
i enjoyed reading this one.it makes me think of the place where i grew up.keep on writing beautiful poems.have a nice day!
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to see th words of beauty is to feel the breath of nature. robert frosts work always amazed me and touched my soul...and still does to this very day.
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sleep sleep i wish for sleep but does it visit when sober eyes crawl across my dead face? no. good poem though here o. not read it before.
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Hi,
I feel that this was a great write, very intersting too. Hope to read more from you.
Best of wishes
Blue moon -
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Thats a great poem but Two Woods Diverged in a Yellow Wood is better i think thats the name of it.
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