Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Whose woods these are I think I know. A
His house is in the village though; A
He will not see me stopping here B
To watch his woods fill up with snow. A
My little horse must think it queer B
To stop without a farmhouse near B
Between the woods and frozen lake C
The darkest evening of the year. B
He gives his harness bells a shake C
To ask if there is some mistake. C
The only other sound’s the sweep D
Of easy wind and downy flake. C
The woods are lovely, dark and deep, D
But I have promises to keep, D
And miles to go before I sleep, D
And miles to go before I sleep. D
This beautiful poem employs masculine end rhyme throughout most of the piece and ends with two repeated lines. The rhyme scheme follows an AABA format in every stanza except the final one, which is simply DDDD. This format allows each stanza to act as a cohesive section of the poem. This complements the separate ideas that each stanza explores in relation to to the premise and theme of the poem. The "B" line in each stanza also rhymes with the "A" line in the next stanza which creates an interesting and unique effect with each transition to a new stanza. At first glance this poem seems to describe someone taking a short rest in a wood during their journey. In this sense it is a quaint and pleasing short poem. The piece does, however, contain a deeper meaning. The first three stanzas serve to establish the peace and beauty the speaker finds in these woods and show why he or she might have a reluctance to leave it. The final stanza, in only four short lines, describes the pain the speaker feels in leaving the serene woods. The fact that the speaker can still bring himself to leave attests to the emphasis placed on responsibility. This poem shows that even when we find ourselves in the most peaceful and serene of situations, we must still remain true to our responsibilities.
Bibiliography
Frost, Robert. "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2014. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171621>
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