What Robert Frost Teaches Us About The Holidays & Life In General
When I was in the 5th grade, I remember my teacher requiring us to memorize a poem and recite it in front of the class. He selected Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” for me to recite and he gave me a month to memorize it. At the time, I was glad to get that poem because it was only 16 lines long. But I do remember my teacher telling me that I am probably too young to understand the beauty of the poem, but I will when I am older.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
By Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
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.
Now I am older and I understand what my teacher was trying to tell me. The poem is simple but profound. There have been many interpretations of it over the years, including these interesting analysis here and here.
The poem was written in the summer of 1922, but was inspired by an incident in 1905 when Frost went to town on his horse to sell eggs and make enough money to purchase Christmas gifts for his children. The trip was unsuccessful and he became deeply depressed and stopped his horse in the woods on his way home to cry. Apparently, the horse shook his bell and Frost smiled and continued on home.
Here’s my “I’m not a poet” poetry interpretation. The poem is about life (“woods”) and death (“frozen lake”). It’s about contemplating life under duress, or in this case, taking in the scenery. This time of the year brings a lot of stress, pain and misery for many people. Some other people believe Frost was insinuating suicide in the poem, as his family was plagued by tragedy and mental illness throughout his life. I think the horse is a metaphor for God or some other higher being of moral authority reminding his owner that life goes on (“promises to keep”) and now is not your time to die (“miles to go before I sleep”).
Okay, so I guess some of you reading this are asking why I am being such a “Debbie Downer” on Christmas Eve. I bring this poem up because of its meaning. A lot of us have been stressed out by all the breaking news lately. Sometimes you have to put life stresses in perspective, and keep moving forward.