288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1,1949
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Robert Frost is a renowned poet, and there is so much more to his body of work than just the famous "The Road Not Taken." His poems are not simply charming depictions of quaint little New England country roads. Instead, they are complex and intricate superhighways that branch out in various directions, leading to profound questions and difficult dilemmas.
Just like Ernest Hemingway, Frost has the remarkable ability to touch the hearts and minds of his readers without having to rely on overly erudite words or abstruse ideas. He has a way of presenting ordinary situations and experiences in a way that makes them seem extraordinary and thought-provoking. His poems have the power to make us reflect on our own lives, our choices, and the paths we have taken or might take in the future.
Frost's poetry is a testament to his deep understanding of human nature and the human condition. It is a reminder that sometimes, the simplest things in life can hold the most profound meaning, and that we should always be open to exploring the hidden depths within ourselves and the world around us.
I don't read a lot of poetry, but I've been intrigued by Robert Frost's work ever since I first came across both his 'Mending Wall' (famous for the often-quoted line "good fences make good neighbors") and 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening' (mentioned by this edition's commentator in my opening quote, and remembered for its "And miles to go before I sleep" conclusion) many years ago. Also, let's not overlook the fact that the refined John F. Kennedy asked the elderly poet to speak at his 1961 presidential inauguration - to recite a poem, which was a first - so Frost has a certain charm factor (ha-ha).
This durable paperback is a great concise volume that gathers over 100 poems from Frost's 60+ years (1894 - 1962) of published writing. Nature, farming, and/or rural life in the New England region are typically the main focuses. I especially enjoyed the sing-song 'Blueberries' (and I don't even like eating blueberries!), the extremely melancholy 'My November Guest,' the autumnal 'After Apple-Picking,' and also 'The Grindstone,' which features the humorous opening "Having a wheel and four legs of its own / has never availed the cumbersome grindstone / to get it anywhere that I can see" - so true!