[#1CTYankee]

I look foreward to the interpretation of this classic by my fellow Freepers.

I'm not big on poetry but I've always found this work to be one on the finest. (although The Raven is my favorite)

[jimfree]

Thanks very much Yankee. I haven't read Stopping... in quite a while. I don't see too much to interpret. I'm stopping in somebody else's woods and he's not there to protest. But I'm only stopping to watch the scene for a while. I'm resting but not disturbing nor am I taking possession. What inspired you to post this?

Oh, in October I worked an event at the Georgian Mansion where mrs. jimfree is employed. A Taste of Amontillado featured period food and wine pairings with accompanying readings from early 19th century works. I read an abridged The Cask of Amontillado as well as The Raven.

I agree that Raven is one of the greatest poems of all time combining rhythm, lyricism, and imagery in an amazing way.

[#1CTYankee]

I thought this fine poem would garner some attention and thoughtfull discusion, maybe I thought wrong.

[squarebarb]

A beautiful poems about someone taking time for a moment of meditation in a workaday world.

But we can’t always stay in that moment of meditation, we have to return to the world where there are miles to go, promises to keep.

It’s such a great poem because it is self-contained, to the point, the language is very simple.

[mrs. a]

My favorite Frost poem:

The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

[centurion316]

No snowy woods to provide an escape these days. We just tune in to ESPN.

[1rudeboy]

As with most of the best poetry, it is about death.

[Tax-chick]

The rhymes seem basic, at first, but the alternation and reflection of endings through the stanzas doesn’t fit a standard pattern. It sounds very interesting when read aloud.

[Sawdring]

Wan’t this poem plagiarized from Al Gore’s work? Except his was about watching snow melt?

[KosmicKitty]

I actually have been to the spot that Frost was supposed to have stopped in the woods & been inspired to write this poem. Not too far from my Vermont house.

Frost was actually a somewhat nasty person. And, did you know, that you can sing this poem to the music from “Hernando’s Hide-away?”

Also, all Emily Dickenson poem’s can be sung to “The Yellow Rose of Texas”

[Daffynition]

If you've never walked in a winter snow at night, then you would need this poem interpreted. ;-D

[meadsjn]

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.

Lovely poem. The last part was used in some spy novel or movie to wake up the sleeper agents. I don't remember which one.

[Skooz]

Frost was a masterful poet. This is one of my favorites.

Man, he was good.

[bert]

In the summer of 1961, I studied this poem in terrific depth in my English lit class.

I can’t remember a damn thing about what we discussed or learned.

[dorothy]

Here's another of his, all two lines of it; but those two lines encompass a lot of emotion:

The old dog barks backwards without getting up.
I can remember when he was a pup.

[VRWCer]

Funny you should post this one, it is one I think of almost every day. Not the whole poem, but the last three lines come to my mind towards the latter part of nearly every day, as I begin to get fatigued from the hectic pace of of my day - promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep. I love this poem.

[SuziQ]

Truly, one of my favorites, and I came to appreciate it more, once I'd lived in MA. There is such a calm quiet when there's a soft snowfall, like there is outside my window right now.

But, like the narrator, I've got miles to go, as well. We're heading up to NH to pick up SirKit's brother, who has been at a Priests Retreat all week.

[A_perfect_lady]

We were also taught in college that this poem is about death, but it always sounded to me like he was in love with a married woman. The husband neglects her for his mistress in town, and she is slowly sinking into despair. But Frost is married too, so he does nothing. Reread it with this idea in mind and see if it makes sense to you.

[Guenevere]

Thank-you for this respite.

We all have miles to go before we sleep....esp. now....

This was a nice poetic oasis ...thanks!

[Slinky911]

[spectre]

Frost reminds us that life is hectic and we have obligations that get in the way of fulfilling that which really makes us happy in the end. He tells us we don't have time to enjoy our child hood pleasures of this world...in this case, a simple snow fall.

It's probably what "retirement" should be.

sw