Robert Frost

As poets go, Frost (1874-1963) was no longer young when he published his first book of poems, A Boy’s Will, in 1913. Though born in San Francisco, he came of a New England family which returned to New England when he was ten. Like many other writers, he had a brief brush with college and then supported himself by various means, ranging from shoe-making to editing a country newspaper. However, he was brought on a farm and he liked farming. Most of all he liked to write but he couldn’t support himself by writing.  He was in his late 30s when he moved to England, where he issued his first book and found an appreciation for his work he had not found in America.

At the outbreak of World War I, Frost went back to farming in New Hampshire. Thereafter, although he made many journeys and frequent visits elsewhere, he considered his farm his home and its activities remained the focus of his poetry.

Frost’s verses became part of a great tradition, shaped by the Roman poet Vergil, of what is called bucolic poetry – poetry about farming. However, though he used farm situations in much of his poetry, he gave them a wide application. He might write about stepping on a rake and describe the feeling when it hit him, but he used the incident to show how life gives us bruises.

Some talents in poetry are used early, but not Frost’s. He continued to publish good poetry for fifty years. He reached the height of his popularity after World War II. If America of the 20^th century had a national poet it was Frost. He was chosen to read one of his poems at the inauguration of the late President John F. Kennedy, the first poet ever so honoured.