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Introduction
Opening Salvo Mr. Frost's vision of poetry was extremely influential on 20th century poetry. His status as an elder statesman, poet, and teacher opened doors for others to follow. However, there is much more to his story than just being the poet who read at President John Kennedy's inauguration. Song For Robert Frost
Robert Frost Robert Frost was born of New England parents in San Francis in 1874. His father who was a teacher and a newspaper editor died when young Robert was 11. After his father's death Robert and his mother returned to New England and lived with her husband's father. Robert Frost excelled in school and graduated from his high school a co-valedictorian with his future wife.
He rarely refers to anytime spent in California, but his early selections for employment seem to reflect both his father's and his grandfather's influence. Robert Frost's early jobs included: teacher, factory laborer, newspaper deliverer, farmer, and editor. After marrying his high school sweetheart and starting a family, he decided that England was the place for poets. Like T. S. Elliot, Ezra Pound, and others, Mr. Frost met with his first real success in England. However unlike his fellow ex-patriots, he decided that his place was in America particularly in New England. Just prior to WWI the Frost's returned to New Hampshire.
Back in the US Mr. Frost began teaching English at Amherst College. Teaching, lecturing, and writing took up his time. He was published and winning awards. He was famous in his own land and doing what he loved. Life, however, dealt the Frosts quite a few blows. "He said twice over before he knew
himself: Besides losing his father early in life, Robert Frost lost a daughter and a son as infants; a son and a daughter early adulthood; a favorite sister; and his wife. These deaths always seemed to be on the heels of some of his greatest publishing successes. Among numerous awards and honors, Mr. Frost won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry four times. "Make yourself up a cheering song
of how Mr. Frost is most recognized and remembered as the white haired teacher from New England. His verse is most commonly associated with working farmers who deal with earthly decisions about which road to take and when to harvest the apples. His realistic view on the world is brought to the reader in hard images.
However, there is much more to his poetry than this. Mr. Frost does deal with the metaphysical and his verse does reflect the spiritual as well as the physical aspects of life. "Folks think a witch who has familiar
spirits Bibliography:
Now, please don't mistake this article
as an academic paper on all of the qualities of the poet at hand.
I could here start quoting experts who believe such and so about
Robert Frost, but I ask you to participate. Go and explore. Don't
let me tell you all that I know, which is only but a twinkling
of his star. I hope that I've opened a door. Now, it is up to
you to enter. Thanks. © Harry Furness 2009 Send Harry a message either directly or using the Word Catalyst feedback form. |
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Songs for the Soul
Greetings.
American poetry has often fallen prey to and been captured by
public relations and sales. It's not always about who is best,
but who sells the best. Our, and I mean America's (and please
don't mistake me as some xenophobic fool, this column focuses
on American poets), "best" authors are often defined
by book sales. This is a shame. As readers we should demand quality
over quantity and look to the verse and its meaning and relevancy.
It's time to sing the praises of one of America's premier New
England poet, Robert Frost.
From The Attic
Cheshire Cat
Songs of
