Robert Frost's Woods: The Simple Truths

Above is the actual publication of the poem in The New Republic archives, 1923



In the 6th grade I had an English teacher who loved to have her students memorize and recite poems to the class. She would hand out four or five poems and you had to chose one. I still remember the most popular poem chosen was Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. At that age of 11, we thought we knew exactly what the poem was saying to us in its simplicity... and we were correct. When Frost was quizzed as to what the hidden meaning in this poem might be he replied "If I had wanted you to know, I'd told you in the poem." There are two stories as to what the inspiration was for Frost to write this poem. The most common is that he spent a summer night of sleeplessness and this poem came to him in the morning like a hallucination. Another less known story was that the inspiration came from an earlier difficult winter in New Hampshire when Frost was returning home after an unsuccessful trip at the market. Realizing he did not have enough money to buy Christmas presents for his children, he was overwhelmed with depression and stopped his horse at a bend in the road to cry. After a few moments, his horse shook his harness bells, cheering Frost and reminding him to continue home to his family, away from the darkness. It is known that Frost did in fact suffer from depression, sometimes severe. My suspicion from personal experience in writing poetry is that both stories are true. The moment in the woods resurfaced when it was safe to do so...early one summer morning under the influence of no sleep.

A photograph of Frost in 1923 around the time the poem was written.


Frost often wrote about the simple activities of everyday life; a simplicity that makes non-poetry lovers enjoy his work. He was criticized by some for his choice of subjects which were not seen as appropriate for the "high art of poetry". But what Frost probably knew was that the most basic parts of an ordinary day can be misleading. Focusing on the real actions of real people and the simplicity of nature, the elements of fantasy are brushed aside to often reveal Truth; whether it be in the grand poetic mind or the mind of a 6th grader. One fact that is not questionable about Frost's feelings on this poem is written in a letter to Louis Untermeyer where Frost suggests the poem may be "my best bid for remembrance." In a reading by Frost in the 1950's, he asks who out of the crowd of 2000 does not know this poem and only one hand is raised. Today, unfortunately, it would be many more....we still have miles to go to keep poetry (as well as the Truth) alive.
Next week, with the start of the Christmas shopping frenzy, may be a good time to re-read this poem keeping in mind Frost's story of dispair as the influence. When it all gets to be a little too much, listen for the shake of the horse's harness bells to keep you on the journey and tuned in to the Truth.