[Allen Tice]

A reading of Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”

Ever since I first read Frost’s famous poem I have smelled something about it that to me suggests that he was thinking about some other living poet (possibly e.e. cummings) who lived in Greenwich Village. Much the same applies to Frost’s “A Considerable Speck.” Anyway, right or wrong here’s my butchered reading:

Whose *words* these are I think I know.
His house is in the *village* though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his *words* fill up with snow [frost].

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the *words* and frozen [frosty] lake [look or like]
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness [hearing reference] bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy [why “easy”?] wind [flatulence (!?)] and downy [negative opinion?] flake.

The *words* 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.