Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves the bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.
Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She’s glad the birds are gone away,
She’s glad her simple worsted gray
Is silver now with clinging mist.
The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me for reason why.
Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow,
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise.
Robert Frost (1874–1963)
A Boy’s Will 1915
Ah, the complex beauty of November (one of my favorite months). Enjoyed the younger photo of Robert Frost. One always sees the old stoic New Englander face and forgets that dreamy young poet's face!
ReplyDeleteI love your adjective - 'complex' it is perfect. I try really hard to put up photos of the poets in which they are about the same age as they were when the poem was written, but it isn't always possible.
DeleteIt's years since I read Frost, he's so good, thank you for reminding me. Never sentimental, he hits a mood in a single phrase then moves it around, seemingly at will. Inspiring!
ReplyDeleteCarole
Those could be a teacher's words about the great poet. Very true.
Delete"She’s glad her simple worsted gray
ReplyDeleteIs silver now with clinging mist. "
That creates a beautiful mind picture...
lovely thank you :0)
It really does. He's just so good.
DeleteAnd I thank you for coming by and reading the poem.
I had never seen this portrait of Frost either. That face alone says he'll be a poet. He sure makes black dog days beautiful. That last verse is all that was familiar to me from school so I was glad to read the other verses here.
ReplyDeleteGosh, someone else was just talking about the 'black dog days.' Sadie is much offended. Black dogs make me VERY happy. :<)
DeleteSnow has come to us as early as Oct. this year, but the birds are here still. Yesterday I saw large flocks of Canadian Geese in flight, numerous of them, filling the sky. Also, some birds stay and make their winter home here. Good to have company. Thanks for the words and the beautiful header photo.
ReplyDeleteI wondered about that too. Even if one doesn't feed the birds, there are always bluejays and chickadees and others that stay around.
DeleteI love Robert Frost. He should have spent time in Georgia, and he could have enjoyed the leaves a bit longer! You must know that he spent some time in England, I didn't know that until a few years ago, but I'll bet his poet's heart loved it! (And I know your area is New England, would love to see it one day...then I will have NEW English heart!)
ReplyDeleteHey! I would love to be entered into your giveaway, if it is not too late. The Farmer's Almanac Calendar would go down a treat with me. My Dad is a HUGE fan of "The Almanac", that is what he always calls it, he ALWAYS has one, every year.
Oh, but he probably couldn't bear the summers. :<))
DeleteNot too late. Love that about your dad.
HA! I am hearing you about the summers. I am a native Georgian and I can hardly stand them myself! :-)
DeleteHappy Thanksgiving to you!
And to you!
Delete