Robert Frost is a renowned American poet, who has won four Pulitzer Prizes in his lifetime. His works explore themes of nature, rural life, and New England, as well as ethical questions and the hidden potential of everyday life. Frost also has an interest in exploring the contrasts between traditional and modern life, as well as the complexity of human emotions. He often uses symbolism, metaphor and rhyme in his poetry. One of the most popular types of poems that Frost writes are narrative poems. These tell their stories through values found in timeless stories, such as those found in ancient myths and folk tales. Frost’s works often contain characters and stories that have relevance to the reader in contemporary life. An example of a narrative poem he wrote is “The Road Not Taken”, which explores the issues of identity, choices, and how life is dictated by those choices.
In addition to writing narrative poems, Frost also explores the areas of nature. Many of his works explore seasonal changes, exploring the changing landscape from spring, summer, fall and winter. For example, in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” he writes about a man travelling through the woods during a wintry night, experiencing perfect peace as he pauses in his journey. Frost also employs figurative language throughout his poetry; many of his works have an enigmatic quality and convey more than one meaning.
Frost also wrote some lyrical poems, which express the thoughts and feelings of a speaker to an audience. An example of a lyrical poem by Frost is “Birches”, which is about a man reflecting on childhood memories, while looking at a row of birch trees bending in the wind. The poem explores the idea of escapism, as the man wishes he could “escape on the back of the breeze” and swing on the branches of the birches as he did as a child.
Frost also wrote some formal poems such as sonnets and villanelles. “Design” is an example of one of his sonnets which explore the idea of the purposiveness of nature and examines how human beings interpret their situation. Whereas, “Dust of Snow” is a villanelle which is about a sensory experience of nature, where the poet is comparing a snowflake to the joy of being granted a small reprieve from life’s stresses.
Finally, Frost wrote some free verse poems too. Free verse poems don’t contain any traditional constraints on the structure. An example of a free verse poem by Frost is “The Oven Bird”, which consists of a short stanza followed by a longer stanza that ask a series of questions, examining the purpose and meaning of life.
Narrative Poems
Narrative poems are a popular form of poetic expression, and Robert Frost is no stranger to this genre. In his works, Frost often takes characters or narratives from folklore to capture timeless stories and expressions. In narrative poems, each stanza typically tells a story, with the poem’s form acting as a frame around which the story is told. Common themes found in Frost’s narrative poems are identity, choices, and how life is governed by those choices. An example of a narrative poem is “The Road Not Taken”, a poem about identity, choice, and how life is due to the consequences of the choices. In this poem, the narrator reflects on two roads—both of which seem equally inviting—but they could lead to different destinies. Frost’s narrative poems are especially powerful because of their emphasis on the potential of life’s choices and their repercussions.
Frost is also an expert at using symbolism in his works—in “The Road Not Taken”, the two roads symbolize two paths that the narrator can take in life: one of conformity, and one of self-expression. The narrator’s choice is a major theme throughout the poem, showing the importance of decision-making in life and the power of those decisions.
In “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, Frost explores nature and beauty in order to emphasize the importance of taking time to appreciate the natural world. Nature serves as an escape from the chaos of life and Frost uses images like the snowy wood to paint a picture of peace and reflection. Frost’s narrative poems are innovative in their use of metaphors as well: in this poem, the woods are a metaphor for life’s journey and offer the narrator a moment of stillness and reprieve.
“The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” are two of Robert Frost’s most popular narrative poems; however, he has written many others. “The Yew-Tree”, “The Code”, and “The Gift Outright” are other examples of Frost’s powerful narrative poetry, exploring themes of identity, choices, and the potential of life’s choices.
Lyrical Poems
In addition to writing narrative poems, Frost was also a master of the lyrical poem, which expresses the thoughts and feelings of a speaker to an audience. Lyrical poems often tell stories about small events and observations in life, exploring the small moments of joy, insight, and grief. In many of Frost’s lyrical poems, the speaker is exploring their own emotions as well as their relationship to the natural world.
“Birches” is an example of Frost’s lyrical poetry. A man stands looking at a row of birch trees, remembering back to when he used to swing on the branches as a child. The poem is reflective of how the nature of childhood gives way to the weight of adult life—the man wishes he could escape the gravity of life, swing on the branches of the birch trees as he used to do, and embrace the joy and freedom of childhood.
In “Acquainted with the Night”, Frost also employs the lyrical form to explore a life of isolation and mourning. The poem is narrated from the perspective of a person walking alone in the dark, and conveys a sense of alienation and sadness. The poem is a powerful exploration of emotion, and reveals the narrator’s deep sadness. The poem ultimately speaks of the despair of being alone, and Frost’s use of imagery and figurative language capture the emotion of the speaker in vivid detail.
Frost’s lyrical poems are often contemplative and imbued with a sense of melancholy. They explore the idea of existence, and how life is experienced in isolation. “The Silken Tent”, “Mending Wall” and “The Need of Being Versed in Country Things” are other examples of Frost’s lyrical poetry, which explore similar themes of loneliness, sadness and metaphysical exploration.
Formal Poems
In addition to lyrical and narrative poems, Frost also wrote some formal poems such as sonnets and villanelles. Frost’s formal poems are thought-provoking and explore themes of existentialism and the human condition. Sonnets such as “Design” and “Provide, Provide” explore the idea of the purposiveness of nature and examines how human life is governed by inexplicable forces.
In “Provide, Provide”, Frost reflects on the idea of the forces of nature that are out of human control, and how life is governed by those forces. The abstract forces of nature are compared to a hawk’s unyielding grip on a bird in its claws, and how human life is much the same—ruled by the immutable laws of nature. The poem ultimately speaks to the fragility of human existence compared to the harshness of nature.
Frost also wrote villanelles, which are a type of formal poem consisting of an ABaAaba form with 19 lines. “Dust of Snow” is a perfect example of his work with the villanelle form. The poem is reflective of the power of nature, capturing the sensory experience of the beauty of a snowflake. The poem speaks of the joy of experiencing beauty, and how it can have a profound effect in the midst of life’s struggles. Frost’s villanelles, as well as his sonnets, are powerful explorations of the human experience and how life is governed by mysterious forces.
Frost also wrote other formal poems such as sestinas, a type of poem with a repeating pattern, and ballads. Works such as “A Time to Talk”, “Come In”, and “Fire and Ice” are examples of Frost’s formal poetry, which explore the complexity of human emotion and the power of the forces of nature in life.
Free Verse Poems
Robert Frost also wrote some free verse poetry. Free verse poetry does not contain any traditional constraints on its structure and can explore a wide range of themes, from love and death to nature and the human condition.
In “The Oven Bird” Frost uses free verse to explore the idea of existence, examining the purpose of life in contrast to the emptiness of death. The poem asks a series of questions about life, exploring the idea of mortality and what comes after death. The poem is contemplative, expressing a sense of isolation and a search for direction.
In “The Silken Tent” Frost uses free verse to explore similar themes of mortality. The poem is reflective of how life is often unpredictable and how the fragility of existence can often lead to emptiness. The poem is mysterious and the narrator’s sentiments are left unresolved.
“Mowing” and “Death of the Hired Man” are two other examples of Frost’s free verse poems. In “Mowing” Frost uses free verse to explore the connection between humanity and nature, while “Death of the Hired Man” captures the complex emotions of grief and loss. These poems are evocative explorations of difficult topics, and Frost’s free verse is a perfect form for expressing these sentiments.
Frost’s free verse poems are powerful, evocative explorations of the human condition. Works such as “The Road Not Taken”, “The Oven Bird”, “Mowing”, and “Death of the Hired Man” are just some of Frost’s most famous free verse poems, and demonstrate his gift for expressing complex emotions in an innovative form.
