I'm not a die-hard lover of poetry. In fact, I used to have a rather indifferent attitude towards it.

However, I've recently discovered that the way these poems are presented, accompanied by short and concise explanations, is truly a remarkable and engaging way to consume them.

These explanations offer valuable insights into the meaning and context of the poems, making it easier for me to understand and appreciate the beauty and depth within.

It's like having a guide that leads me through the world of poetry, opening my eyes to its hidden treasures.

Now, I find myself looking forward to reading these poems and their explanations, gradually developing a newfound interest in this art form.

Who knows, maybe one day I'll become a true poetry enthusiast.

Robert Frost offered the United States a unique blend of the new and the old. By fusing traditional poetic forms with modern techniques, he emerged as a prominent figure in the modernist movement. His works told captivating stories beneath beautiful words, appealing to those who sought poetry that was both accessible and comforting in its traditional nature.

Frost was part of the modern world, yet the significance of traditional form persisted throughout his body of work. Firstly, he had a deep love for nature, often penning about pastures, mountains, and woods. As a traditionalist, he adhered to closed-forms, like in “The Road Not Taken” with its ABAAB rhyme scheme, unlike many modern European poets who favored free form. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” was written in iambic octameter, using “s” sounds to create a soothing read. He believed in writing “valid” poetry and embraced the forms that others seemed to be discarding. Frost also had a talent for creating metaphors that, as Kay Ryan put it, “do not work as logic, but only as a poem.” He was described as a “control freak,” yet paradoxically, it was this control that allowed him to write such beautiful poetry.

In writing such remarkable poetry, Frost accepted the modern world and addressed it in his work. He wrote poetry in a way that resembled our everyday speech, transforming the way Americans perceived culture and nature. His poems were profound yet accessible, delving into the feelings of alienation and loneliness that many in the modern age experienced. When writing about a modern man feeling drained by modern times or reminiscing about the beauty of the landscape before urbanization, interpreters suggest that Frost was not condemning modern society but rather presenting his perspective on the subject. By using tradition (nature, closed-forms, and metaphors) and modern elements (modern language, the working man, and the stresses of life), Robert Frost’s poetry holds undeniable significance.

According to Kay Ryan, Frost even dropped out of college because he felt that poetry was too important to be discussed in a college setting. He was uncomfortable with dissecting the meanings, forms, and senses of his poems.

As someone who rejected the modern concept of “open range” poetry, Frost viewed the new world with a sense of dismay. Perhaps he longed for a time before the 20th century, which is why his poems are filled with nature rather than the industrial society in which he lived. So why is Frost considered a modernist poet? It is because he not only wrote about nature but also about the struggles of the modern world, helping us to come to terms with the disillusionment that stemmed from the decline of western culture. Robert Frost, a modernist with a strong traditional foundation, will always be remembered as the poet who mastered the art of writing about both the past and the present.

A friend brought up Passing Glimpses, and

the very next day, I chanced upon this collection in an old, dusty pile of books.

The poems within are truly quite whimsical. They have a certain charm that seems almost otherworldly.

However, this whimsy does not in any way betray the depth and poignancy that are contained within the lines.

The meaning of the poems is made somewhat easier to ascertain, all thanks to Untermeyer's prefaces.

He is careful not to spoil the delightful turns and surprises that await the reader.

Mr. Untermeyer clearly holds Mr. Frost in the highest regard, offering many superlatives.

Fortunately, these superlatives are sparser in the later parts of the book.

Even more interesting and enlightening is the way our curator connects the themes and subject matter to various points in the life of "the poet" (as Frost is quaintly referred to throughout).

After spending a week reading through the book and dogearing the pages, an unseasonably warm and sunny weekend arrived.

I felt an almost irresistible compulsion to go out and do some trail running, engage in park meditation, and take a hike along the palisades.

It was as if the beauty and inspiration from the poems had seeped into my soul and was driving me to experience the natural world in a more profound way.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading "Robert Frost's Poems". His depictions of nature in the poems were truly beautiful and had a very relaxing effect on me as I read. One poem that particularly stood out to me was "The Silken Tent". The words seemed to flow together seamlessly, creating a vivid and clear image of the scene in my mind. What was remarkable was that while I usually don't feel much when reading poetry, this particular poem managed to evoke some sort of emotion within me, although I'm not entirely sure what that emotion was.

However, despite my enjoyment of Frost's poems, I found the commentary written by Louis Untermeyer quite frustrating. Anytime there is commentary in a poetry book about what I've just read, I always have the feeling that I'm missing something. I tend to forget that poetry is all about personal interpretation and instead, I get too caught up in trying to figure out what Untermeyer was talking about, rather than simply enjoying the actual poem itself.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for poetry about nature or for those who simply enjoy poetry in general. It offers a wonderful collection of works that are both engaging and thought-provoking.

Robert Frost's poetry has always held a special allure for me. I first discovered him through his captivating poem "Fire and Ice," which presents a thought-provoking supposition on the end of the world. Intrigued by that initial encounter, I eagerly purchased a collection of his poems on sale at the local bookstore.

This remarkable book is a comprehensive compilation, encompassing everything from his most renowned masterpieces to his more obscure works. It has proven to be an invaluable mentor text, offering countless opportunities for teaching various literary elements.

One poem that particularly stands out for me is "The Road Not Taken." Its vivid and descriptive language makes it almost impossible for the reader not to envision themselves within the poem. The detailed portrayal of the woods and the two diverging roads creates a powerful mental image.

Moreover, the nature of the poem prompts the reader to ask natural and engaging questions. We find ourselves wondering what lies down the road the author chose and what might have been down the other road that was left unexplored. This built-in element of inquiry makes it an excellent text for teaching students how to answer questions.

Given its relatively short length and rich abundance of setting elements, "The Road Not Taken" would be an ideal choice for a mini-lesson on setting. We could also analyze it stanza by stanza to explore the use of sense words and enhance students' visualization skills. Overall, this poem truly qualifies as a remarkable mentor text.

I began this book in the fall and perused it at a leisurely pace, mainly on Sundays, until the spring arrived. I have read all of Frost's renowned poems countless times. Thus, I was delighted to be introduced to a plethora of his works that I had never come across before. My overall takeaways are as follows: Firstly, I do not have a penchant for his long 'talking' poems. I firmly believe that Frost is at his zenith when he composes short, lyrical poems in (oftentimes) end-rhymed blank verse, which incidentally happens to be my favorite form of poetry. Secondly, the man has an intimate knowledge of trees. He truly, truly knows trees. Thirdly, as a life-long New Englander, Frost's poetry strikes a chord within me: I too have witnessed the scenes that the author describes with such beauty and perspicacity. The man is indeed the essence of New England.

This is a wonderful book, providing just the right amount of information from the editor regarding Frost's life and works. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this. I'm going to add a poem from Frost's early years that I simply adore, and I think it showcases the poet's god-like command of words. Enjoy!

"Good-by and Keep Cold"

This saying good-by on the edge of the dark
And the cold to an orchard so young in the bark
Reminds me of all that can happen to harm
An orchard away at the end of the farm
All winter, cut off by a hill from the house.
I don't want it girdled by rabbit and mouse,
I don't want it dreamily nibbled for browse
By deer, and I don't want it budded by grouse.
(If certain it wouldn't be idle to call
I'd summon grouse, rabbit, and deer to the wall
And warn them away with a stick for a gun.)
I don't want it stirred by the heat of the sun.
(We made it secure against being, I hope,
By setting it out on a northerly slope.)
No orchard's the worse for the wintriest storm;
But one thing about it, it mustn't get warm.
"How often already you've had to be told,
Keep cold, young orchard. Good-by and keep cold.
Dread fifty above more than fifty below."
I have to be gone for a season or so.
My business awhile is with different trees,
Less carefully nourished, less fruitful than these,
And such as is done to their wood with an ax—
Maples and birches and tamaracks.
I wish I could promise to lie in the night
And think of an orchard's arboreal plight
When slowly (and nobody comes with a light)
Its heart sinks lower under the sod.
But something has to be left to God.

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 occurred during high school, specifically through “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” These are his two most renowned poems, and likely most individuals have some acquaintance with them. I liked them, and both spoke to me on a certain level. However, I wouldn't assert that they inspired me or influenced my own poetry, which developed much later. In high school, I was still firmly convinced that I didn't like poetry. It was only later that I came to understand that I didn't like poetry with simplistic rhymes or that merely pointed out an observation, thought, or feeling that I was already well-acquainted with from my own experiences. 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. Here, I don't mean mundane in a negative sense. I essentially mean it as “objective” reality. But that's not what I desire to experience in the literary works I read. I live in mundane reality. I want the poetry I read to distort that reality and surprise me. Given Frost’s influence on the field of poetry, I did pick up this collection of his poems. I decided that I needed to read them. Here are my thoughts.

Firstly, I can definitely concur with the critics that Frost was an exceptionally talented poet and a perceptive observer of the world. His poems are typically quite uncomplicated 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 misconstrued, that quiet and contemplative is not what I seek from my poetry. I desire the disturbing. I yearn for the raw. I crave the surreal. Frost does not provide me with these experiences, and for that reason, he'll never hold the same significance for me as someone like Dylan Thomas.

I truly hope people don't perceive this as some sort of “dislike” of Frost or that I'm contending he's not a poet worthy of study and consideration. That's not my intention. 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 molded my philosophy on life. Dylan Thomas’s poetry resides on that shelf. Some of Ray Bradbury’s works are on that shelf. Robert Frost will not be on that shelf, although he may very well be on “your” inspirational shelf. And if that's the case, then I salute you.

Moving from my general response to Frost’s work to this specific collection, I'm not certain I would recommend it. The poems are presented well, 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 verbose in hyperbole and lacking in substantial information. 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 might have had. I purchased this collection, in part, because I felt I required some commentary to assist me in experiencing Frost. I now believe that this 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 in-depth literary study of Frost, this collection might have some utility, 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.

2.5 stars
Everyone is familiar with the most renowned Shakespeare plays and sonnets. However, delving beyond those famous works allows for a greater appreciation of him. Similarly, everyone knows the most popular Beatles' singles, but listening to their deeper cuts showcases the full extent of their lasting influence. And everyone is acquainted with the most famous van Gogh paintings, yet viewing his lesser-known works provides a more comprehensive understanding of the artist. This, I had hoped, would also be the case for me and Robert Frost. I expected that as I read more than just his most well-known poems, I would come to enjoy him even more. Sadly, the opposite occurred, and I like him less.

The famous poems are famous for a reason - they are superior. "Stopping by Woods," "Fire and Ice," "Mending Wall," "The Road not Taken," "Acquainted with the Night," and "Nothing Gold Can Stay" are undeniably outstanding pieces of poetry. I did discover several other, less well-known poems that I quite liked. However, overall, the collection seems rather one-note. Frost has a distinct style, and he gives voice to the New England working man with some wonderful pastoral imagery. But that is essentially all he does in these nearly 300 pages.

Some poems that I enjoyed aside from the famous ones listed above include: "Tuft of Flowers," "Home Burial," "Love and a Question," "An Old Man's Winter Night," "The Investment," "The Figure in the Doorway," "The Woodpile," and "In a Disused Graveyard."

I could have explored the works of numerous diverse poets. However, I chose Frost, and that choice has truly made a world of difference.

In Nepal, Robert Frost is a household name. His poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is included in the course books. Based on just this one poem, people tend to label him as a nature poet. But this is a rather simplistic view. As we delve deeper into his body of work and analyze his poems, we realize that he is far more complex. His main theme is humanity, and he uses the images of nature to reflect this.

This collection encompasses almost all of his poems. Some are widely celebrated, while others may be underrated or even seem quite average. But each and every one of them contains a piece of the poet himself, a fragment of his thoughts, emotions, and experiences. It is through these poems that we can truly get to know and understand the depth and breadth of Robert Frost's genius.

3.5 stars

This rating of 3.5 stars indicates a moderately good performance or quality. It suggests that the subject being evaluated has several positive aspects but may also have some areas that could be improved.

Perhaps it offers a decent set of features or services, but might lack that extra sparkle to earn a higher rating. It could be a product that functions well overall, but has a few minor flaws or inconveniences.

On the other hand, it could be a service that provides satisfactory results, but fails to exceed expectations in some key areas. However, it's important to note that a 3.5-star rating is still a respectable one and shows that the subject has some merit and is worth considering.

It may not be the absolute best, but it definitely has its strengths and can offer a good experience to those who choose it.

I have to give Robert Frost his due as one of America's iconic poets. His works have left an indelible mark on the literary landscape. However, overall, his poetry is difficult for me to get into. The complex themes and unique styles often pose challenges for me to fully understand and appreciate.

Nonetheless, I do admire the breadth of his writing. He explores a wide range of topics, from nature and rural life to human emotions and the meaning of existence. This diversity makes his collection rich and engaging.

There were many delightful verses scattered throughout this collection that I could not help but underline. These lines, with their beautiful imagery and profound insights, captured my attention and made me stop and think. And of course, The Road Not Taken remains a classic. It is a poem that has touched the hearts of countless readers, regardless of who they are. Its simple yet profound message about making choices in life continues to resonate with people today.

Besides Shakespeare, Edgar Allen Poe, and Emily Dickinson, I must say Robert Frost is up there in the top five of my most favorite poetry.

The reason for this is that his work, his poetry to be exact, is so specific to each topic that it is about. Be it love, isolation, decisions, or whatever else, Frost finds a way to make each of his poems very specific to the case at hand. There are no other distractions except the narrator and the narrator's focus.

For example, in Frost's "Love and a Question", the poem focuses on the weary stranger, and a young bride and groom. The outside world does not exist except for these three, there are no other distractions. This kind of intense focus allows the reader to fully immerse in the emotions and situations presented in the poem.

To have such a focus in one's work is a great talent indeed. It shows Frost's ability to distill complex human experiences and emotions into concise and powerful poems. His works have the power to touch the hearts and minds of readers, making them think and feel deeply about the themes he explores.

In conclusion, Robert Frost's poetry is a true gem, and his unique style and focus make him one of the greatest poets of all time.