gp:
Good point about Frost. Even if one finds it hard to appreciate Longfellow for his own sake, his influence is everywhere. Even the title of RF's first book (in England, his second in the U.S.) comes from a Longfellow poem. Back when HWL's stock was even lower than it is today Frost used to include a poem or two of his in some of his readings, usually anonymously, and then reveal the author's name only after the people in the audience had expressed their admiration.
Another fine one is "The Cross of Snow." And not long ago I reread "Evangeline" after, oh, thirty years, and was taken in by the story and by the many wonderful turns along the way. The experience led me to take another crack at "Hiawatha" but with, I'm afraid, no such pleasant results. I'll have to try that one again in another thirty years.
RPW
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