Three Lego Villas by Bianca

ENGLISH CLASS: Interpreting Dark Poems

For my English class, we're reading poems by poets such as Robert Frost, or "ee cummings." Today, I'll be sharing one out of three poems. This one is my personal favorite.

Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening

by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village, though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods 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.

What's the first impression of this poem? What does it appear to be about? At first, on the most literal level, it's about this:

A man stops by some woods on his horse. He knows there is a man owning these woods, yet he does not think that man is here right now. He talks about his horse wondering where the farmhouse or shelter is. It's the darkest evening of the year. The horse asks if there is some mistake, but evidently, the man doesn't think so. He thinks the woods are great, and pretty, but he must leave now.

That's the most LITERAL interpretation. Before we went over it in my English class, I thought of it that way, too. But, really, it's about something way more deep, dark, and morbid. I'll tell you right now.

Two words: DEATH WISH.

This man is thinking about killing himself. 

In Stanza Number One, he's not talking about some rich man owning the woods. He's talking about God, and how God doesn't stay here in these woods. So, there won't be anything to stop this man, or protect him.

In Stanza Number Two, the little horse represents something: the man's conscience. He knows that he shouldn't stop here without some shelter, between the woods(death) and the frozen lake(even more death), in the darkest evening of the year. Why would he stop by the woods on the coldest day ever, if he doesn't want to at least hurt himself?

In Stanza Number Three, his conscience gives what a shake? His harness bells. And when else do you give bells a shake? When a king dies.

In Stanza Number Four, the final one, he says how it's so tempting to just stay there in those cold woods, just let himself freeze to death. But he has miles to go before he sleeps, or rather, years to go before he dies.

I realize this is really morbid, but it's really interesting to me how Robert Frost wrote this poem. He claims to have written in all in one standing. (I agree, if one standing can take four days straight.) It's my favorite poem, because it sounds so innocent, when really, it's about something way more powerful.

MY BEST FRIEND'S POEMS

Oh, she's going to hate me for this. But the point is, my best friend, Goonga Galoonga (I'm not saying her real name) is a really good poet. She writes something down, and it's automatically framed, because of its talent.

Here is an example:

APOCOLIPSE

by Goonga Galoonga

When the world ends

So will hunger

For when people

DIE

World peace

STARTS

Nice, huh? I'll admit that it doesn't make sense, but I think it has a powerful meaning if you look closer into it.

WILL HE EVER

by Goonga Galoonga

Like me

Hug me

He will never

Love me

Kiss me

Will he ever?

For the record, Goonga's talking about a certain someone at school. (Cue the love birds!) Just kidding. I think she captures the voice of a teenager in distress because she has no idea if this certain boy likes her. (By the way, I think he does.)

This is the last one I'll say. It's very humorous, and that's why I chose it:

PUNISHMENTS

by Goonga Galoonga

He tried to eat me

I told Mom

I tried to eat him

He told Dad

Does this poem

Have a point?

No, I don't think it does. But it certainly lifts my spirits on some days.

Windy Winter(a poem I wrote in English class)

Chilling wind is everywhere,

In my breath and in my sleigh

And I see one polar bear.

It is not polite to stare,

Yet he does it anyway,

Chilling wind is everywhere

Fur like his is very rare

But most of his fur is gray

And I see one polar bear.

He senses fear in the air,

If it's mine, I cannot say

Chilling wind is everywhere

He comes close, but I don't dare

To arouse from where I lay,

Since I see one polar bear.

Disappears, and doesn't care

If he lost his lunch today

Chilling wind is everywhere

And I see one polar bear.

This is called a villanelle poem. Its second lines rhyme, and the first and third rhyme. The first and third rhymes repeat in the last line of each stanzas, alternating, except for the last stanza. In the last, it has four lines, and therefore has both endings.