Robert Frost is regarded as one of the greatest American poets. His work usually centered on rural life, in particular the countryside of the New England region. His works won him four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry.
Before man to blow to right
The wind once blew itself untaught,
And did its loudest day and night
In any rough place where it caught.
Man came to tell it what was wrong:
It hadn't found the place to blow;
It blew too hard -- the aim was song.
And listen -- how it ought to go!
He took a little in his mouth,
And held it long enough for north
To be converted into south,
And then by measure blew it forth.
By measure. It was word and note,
The wind the wind had meant to be --
A little through the lips and throat.
The aim was song -- the wind could see.
Frost's poem is a reflection on poetry and its various forms. Frost is commenting on how poetry changes over time, yet the same purpose always remains. The aim of all poets is to create a song and the different types of poetry allow poets to achieve this universal goal. Songs allow poets to convey a message. Frost creates his "song" with a structured rhyme scheme that makes his poem melodious. In a sense, his poem is an ideal song. There is a consistent rhythm and meter throughout the whole poem. Frost's message is to not lose sight of the true meaning of poetry, which is song. Frost's wind metaphor emphasizes a certain natural quality all poems have. This quality happens to be song. Poets can utilize the different forms of poetry to allow their songs to be heard. All poems, regardless of form, are all songs. The direction of the wind may change over time, but it is still wind. Likewise, the forms of poetry change overtime but it is still poetry. Frost is also explaining how the beauty of poetry is its freedom. Poets are free to write their songs in a variety of ways and in the same way, readers are free to interpret those poems. Much like man is free to explore the laws of nature (wind), readers are free to explore the laws of poetry.
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