Poem Analysis Essay on To Earthward By
Robert Frost
The
poem “To Earthward” by Robert Frost is a literary piece that talks about the
different stages of love. In particular, it shows the concept of how love can
evolve over time – from a blooming and vibrant love experienced by youth to a
broken love that yearns for healing and relief from pain. The writer begins his
piece with the lines “Love at the lips was touch/ as sweet as I could bear”
(Frost 1). In this opening phrase, it is apparent how the author presents a
type of youthful love as symbolized by a simple but sweet kiss. Frost employed
words such as “lips” and “lover” to underline the art of kissing, its
simplicity, and the joy it brings to young lovers. This is followed by a
quatrain that reads “and once that seemed too much, I lived on air”. In this
line, Frost paints a picture of the beauty and feeling of elatedness brought
about by kissing. This was exemplified in the phrase, “I lived on air”, which
portrays a kind of high or euphoria brought about by kissing the one you love.
The entire stanza seem to show the experience of a youth and blossoming love as
evident in the writer’s choice of words.
The
second stanza posts a question. What is interesting about this question is that
it seems directed to the narrator himself. The lines: “That crossed me from
sweet things, the flow of – was it musk from hidden grapevine springs, downhill
at dusk?” (Frost 1). is a reminder of the sweet smell of honeysuckle and the
dews that dropped from the flowers that were picked and given to the other
person. These lines similarly show the youthfulness of the narrator and how a
young love forays romance through the use of flowers.
Unlike
the first two stanzas, the third and fourth stanza, seem to take a dark turn.
This is evident in his choice of words as well as in the phrases “swirl and
ache” and “the petal of the rose it was stung”. Such phrases emphasized the
pain experienced by the narrator. Alternately, he compares his experience
during his youth with the pain he is feeling now which is expressed in the
lines: “I craved string sweets, but those seemed strong when I was young”
(Frost 1). The presence of a paradoxical phrase “the petal of the rose it was
stung” also suggest how something so beautiful had turned into something that
causes pain and heartaches. It is also apparent how these two stanzas have
evolved from the youthful love in to an adult love that is now exposed to the
painful reality.
The
writer continues with his lament as he employs similarly sad phrases to
emphasize the pain brought about by love. This is shown in the lines “Now no
joy but lacks salt that is not dashed with pain and weariness and fault I crave
the stain” (Frost 1). In here, the reader can feel the exhaustion and the pain
of the narrator. In fact, the line signifies how love seems to create an
everyday suffering and heartache. He continues with the lines: “Of tears, the
after mark, of almost too much love, the sweet of bitter bark and burning
clove” (Frost 1). Again, the narrator suggests his sad realization that loving
too much seem to cause him extreme pain and sadness.
In
the last two stanzas, Frost has once again changed his tone. If the first two
stanzas are about romantic love, and the third and fourth stanza is about a
sharp, then the last two talks about realizations. In particular, the narrator
seems to express that the youthful love and the bitter love that he experienced
is too much for him to bear. As such, he expresses his desire to unshackle
himself from the chains of love. This is best shown in the lines: “When stiff
and sore and scarred I take away my hands. From learning on it hard in grass
and sand” (Frost 1). Consequently, He yearns for a sense of freedom from the
pain as exemplified in the lines: “I long for weight and strength to feel the earth
as rough to all my length” (Frost 1).
Works Cited
Frost, Robert. 2013. To Earthward. Poems.
Retrieved 4 July 2013 from
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/to-earthward/
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