When I was a young poetry reader, people had divided opinions about Robert Frost.

On one hand, he was extremely popular. On the other hand, for many pundits, he was unworthy of a major reputation or perhaps of a reputation at all.

I really admired some of his work, such as “Birches” and “Out, Out—”, but I wasn't sure if my admiration was well-founded.

All these decades later, I've read through Louis Untermeyer's collection of “Robert Frost's Poems”. Now, I'm pretty confident that he was a genuine yet minor talent.

“Birches” is still superb, and some of the narrative poems have some power. However, many other pieces are too sentimental or merely descriptive for my taste.

That being said, the really big problem with this book is Untermeyer's connective prose, which is gushy and hagiographic throughout. Please spare us such uncritical criticism!

And by the way, where is “Out, Out—”? It's not a satisfactory volume, regardless of what one thinks of Frost.

This book presents a rather mixed bag of qualities.

On the one hand, it has several wonderful aspects that are truly captivating. However, on the other hand, there are also some aspects that are less than desirable.

One aspect that immediately grated on my nerves was the presence of Louis Untermeyer's input on the next poem in between most of Robert Frost's poems. It felt intrusive and disrupted the flow of Frost's work.

Another thing that I didn't particularly enjoy was that a significant number of Robert Frost's poems didn't seem to make much sense. They left me scratching my head and wondering what the author was trying to convey.

Thankfully, there were a few really outstanding poems that made the reading experience worthwhile. One such poem that truly touched me was "For Once, Then, Something". When Frost writes, "Something more of the depths—and then I lost it / Water came to rebuke the too clear water. / One drop fell from a fern, and lo, a ripple / Shook whatever it was lay there at bottom, / Blurred it, blotted it out. What was that whiteness? / Truth? A pebble of quartz? For once, then, something." (Frost 185-186), it creates a kind of imagery that deeply resonates within my soul.

I would recommend this book to those who are patient and have the ability to engage with complex and sometimes ambiguous poetry. It is not suitable for those with a short attention span.

Overall, while there were many parts of the book that seemed to be filler and could have been omitted, I still believe it deserves three stars for its few truly remarkable poems.

Made the Ordinary into Something Beautiful

In our daily lives, we often overlook the ordinary things around us. However, with a little creativity and a keen eye, we can transform the ordinary into something truly beautiful.

For example, a simple vase of flowers can brighten up a room and bring a touch of nature indoors. A plain wall can be transformed into a work of art with a few carefully chosen paintings or photographs. Even a mundane object like a pebble can become a unique piece of jewelry when polished and set in a creative design.

The key to making the ordinary beautiful is to look beyond the surface and see the potential in everything. It's about finding the beauty in the simplest of things and using our imagination to bring it to life.

So the next time you're faced with something ordinary, don't be afraid to get creative and make it beautiful. You might be surprised at what you can achieve.

Rating: 9/10

Classic poems by a classic guy! This is a statement that immediately catches our attention. It makes us wonder who this classic guy is and what kind of classic poems he has created.

Poetry has the power to touch our hearts, stir our emotions, and make us see the world in a different light. Classic poems, in particular, have stood the test of time and continue to resonate with readers across generations.

When we think of classic poets, names like Shakespeare, Dante, and Homer come to mind. These are the guys who have left an indelible mark on the literary world with their masterpieces.

So, who is the classic guy in question here? It could be anyone from the pantheon of great poets. Maybe it's a lesser-known poet who has yet to receive the recognition he deserves.

Regardless of who he is, one thing is certain: his poems are classic for a reason. They possess a certain charm, a certain beauty, that makes them worth reading and rereading.

So, let's take a moment to explore the world of classic poems by this classic guy and discover the magic that lies within.

I first got introduced to Frost when I was young, and it was like I was cutting my poetic teeth on his works. It all started when I discovered a cassette in a thrift store where he was reciting his own poems. As soon as I heard him recite "Fire and Ice", I fell deeply in love with his poetry. *sigh*

Living on the east coast, I rekindled my love for Frost. His words have a special charm that draws me in every time. And as the seasons change, I always find myself coming back to him. There is just something so perfectly fitting about reading Frost in the Fall. The imagery he creates makes me dream of the beautiful Maine forest, with its colorful leaves and peaceful atmosphere.

Frost's poetry has the power to transport me to another place and time. It allows me to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life and find solace in the beauty of nature and the human experience. I will always cherish my love for Frost and continue to explore his works, uncovering new meanings and interpretations with each reading.

Is Robert Frost my favorite poet ever? Possibly, yes, he very well could be.

This collection of Frost poems is truly a gem. It has this magical quality that makes me reach for it on the shelf every single time I'm in need of a friend.

What's truly remarkable about Frost's work is that it doesn't matter what he writes about. Whether it's nature, love, or life's hardships, his words are always so welcoming and approachable.

There's an undeniable intrigue in his language that grabs hold of you and never lets go. He has this unique ability to convey deep wisdom in a way that makes you feel like he's sharing a personal secret with you.

And that's what I love most about Robert Frost. He makes me feel like he truly cares about those who are reading his poems, as if he's speaking directly to my heart.

New Enlarged Pocket Anthology of Robert Frost’s Poems: With an Introduction and Commentary by Louis Untermeyer. Pocket Books: 1971 (29th printing).

My initial encounter with Robert Frost was in high school, specifically with “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” These are his two most renowned poems, and likely most people have some acquaintance with them. I liked them, and they both spoke to me. However, I wouldn't claim that they inspired or influenced my own poetry, which developed much later. In high school, I was still convinced that I didn't like poetry. I later came to understand that I disliked poetry with simplistic rhymes or that merely pointed out an observation, thought, or feeling that I already knew well from my own experience. It wasn't until I discovered Dylan Thomas in college that I began to envision the potential for poetry to transcend and expand personal experiences.

Since Frost's poetry dealt with what I would term as mundane reality, I simply never delved deeper into his work. I don't mean mundane in a derogatory sense here. I mean it essentially as “objective” reality. But that's not what I desire to experience in the literary works I read. I live mundane reality. I want the poetry I read to distort that reality and surprise me. Given Frost's influence on the field of poetry, however, I did pick up this collection of his poems. I decided I needed to read them. Here are my thoughts.

First, I can surely concur with the critics that Frost was an exceptionally talented poet and a perceptive observer of the world. His poems are typically quite simple in construction, with straightforward rhyming patterns. When they affect me, they tend to evoke quiet and contemplative moods. And now I'll state, and hope that I won't be misinterpreted, that quiet and contemplative is not what I seek from my poetry. I want disturbing. I want rawness. I want the surreal. Frost does not offer me these experiences, and for that reason, he'll never be as significant to me as someone like Dylan Thomas.

I truly hope people don't construe this as some sort of “dislike” of Frost, or that I'm suggesting he's not a poet worthy of study and consideration. I don't mean it that way. I'm discussing my own very personal and visceral (or lack thereof) reaction to his work. Perhaps the best way I can express it is this: I have a bookshelf where I keep copies of works that inspire my own writing, or that have in some way shaped my philosophy on life. Dylan Thomas's poetry is on that shelf. Some of Ray Bradbury's is on that shelf. Robert Frost will not be on that shelf, though he may well be on “your” inspirational shelf. And if that's the case, then I salute you.

Shifting from my general response to Frost's work to this specific collection, I'm not certain I'd recommend it. The poems are well presented, of course, and I generally liked the overall organization of the book. However, I simply didn't care for, or find useful, the commentary by Louis Untermeyer. Untermeyer was a highly respected poet and critic, but I found his remarks about Frost's poetry to be overly hyperbolic and lacking in substance. Here's an example, from page 168.

“The poems of Robert Frost have a way of uniting opposites. They are casual in tone but profound in effect, teasing and intense, playful yet deeply penetrating. Even when they seem to be about a particular place, they suggest ideas unlimited by space.”

This is a prime example, to me, of saying a lot while actually saying very little. I would have much preferred to have information about when and where the poetry was written, and details about any historical connections the poem may have had. I purchased this collection, in part, because I felt I needed some commentary to assist me in experiencing Frost. I now think that was a mistake, and I should have approached the poems without any filter. To those of you who are interested in writing poetry and wish to study Frost for that purpose, I'd suggest a collection without commentary. For those of you who are conducting a more literary study of Frost, this collection might be useful, but I don't think it would be an ideal starting point. Something that better situates Frost's work within the context of his times would likely prove more beneficial.

I have a great fondness for this collection of Robert Frost's poems. Throughout my grade school years, I undertook several projects on Robert Frost, which has made him one of my all-time favorite poets. His writing style truly appeals to me. Many of his poems are centered around the outdoors, and for some inexplicable reason, they always bring to mind the holidays. "The Road Not Taken" is one of my personal top favorites. I firmly believe that it conveys a positive message to its readers. It serves as an encouragement to embrace individuality. It makes us think about the choices we make in life and how those choices can shape our future. Frost's words have a way of making us reflect on our own paths and the decisions that lead us there.

I do admit that there were times when I really struggled with this volume.

There is a valid reason why it took me over a year to complete.

There are only so many poems about stacks of wood that one can endure reading.

Although they are masterfully written, all the descriptions of New England farm life, the contemplation of nature and the seasons, at times, became overwhelming for me.

However, at no point did I truly consider giving up.

I always had the eagerness to move on to the next poem because there were still numerous ones that I liked.

Especially those poems that felt more like short stories to me, narrating tales of travelling, working, and even some elements of gothic horror interspersed within.

And yes, even some of the poems that focused on farm life, nature, and the seasons managed to touch me.

Robert Frost's poetry stems from a very specific time and place, and it is fascinating to explore this time and place through his poems.

Some of it remains foreign to me, but there was enough that resonated with me to make me like the entire collection.

If at times it felt like searching for a needle in a haystack, it is a haystack filled with spikes.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.

It was a beautiful yet somewhat puzzling scene. The narrator, standing there as a solitary traveler, felt sorry that he couldn't travel both paths simultaneously.

For a long time, he stood and looked down one road as far as his eyes could see, to where it curved and disappeared into the undergrowth.

Then, he decided to take the other road, which seemed just as fair. Perhaps it had a better claim because it was grassy and appeared less worn.

However, upon closer inspection, he realized that the passing of others had actually worn both roads about the same.

Both roads lay equally that morning, covered in leaves that no step had trodden black.

The narrator thought to himself that he would keep the first road for another day. But deep down, he knew that one way leads to another, and he doubted if he would ever have the chance to come back.

He imagined that somewhere ages and ages hence, he would be telling this story with a sigh.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and he had taken the one less traveled by, and that choice had made all the difference in his life.

Robert Frost was one of the American poets to whom I was introduced while I attended High School.

His works are truly remarkable. Poems such as "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "Mending Wall" are not only famous and popular but also among his most masterful creations.

There are many other outstanding poems like "Home Burial," "A Servant to Servants," "Directive," "Neither Out Too Far Nor In Too Deep," "Provide, Provide," "Acquainted with the Night," "After Apple Picking," "The Most of It," "An Old Man's Winter Night," "To Earthward," "Spring Pools," "The Lovely Shall Be Choosers," "Design," and "Desert Places."

Among them, "After Apple Picking" holds a special personal connection for me. As a boy, I had the experience of spending time picking apples, which makes this poem resonate deeply within me.

However, much of Frost's poetry is not just about personal experiences. It is also highly evocative of the rich and unique rural culture in America. His words paint vivid pictures of the countryside, its people, and their way of life, allowing readers to immerse themselves in that world and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of it.

Objectively speaking, Robert Frost's poetry deserves 5 stars. There is no surprise and it is undeniable that his poetry is incredibly well written and seems to be timeless. The language he uses is precise and vivid, painting beautiful pictures in the reader's mind. The themes he explores are universal and relevant, touching on the human condition, nature, and the meaning of life.

Subjectively, however, I can only give it 3 stars. For some reason, his poetry just did not resonate with me. It may be that I am not in the right frame of mind or that I have a different taste in poetry. Maybe I was expecting something more modern or experimental. Whatever the reason, it just did not click for me.

But that's okay! I'm still very glad I read through this collection of his poetry. It has given me a better understanding and appreciation of his work. I may not love every single poem, but I can still recognize the skill and artistry that went into creating them. And who knows, maybe on a different day or in a different mood, I will read his poetry again and have a completely different experience.