Robert Frost: Sixteen Poems to Learn by Heart

by Robert Frost, Jay Parini

Celebrate Robert Frost's 150th birthday with a deluxe keepsake edition featuring 16 of his greatest poems—with brilliant essays highlighting his special genius and the power of memorization to unlock the magic of his languageDuring a public reading Robert Frost was once asked why he so frequently recited his poems from memory. With typical wit, he “If they won’t stick to me, I won’t stick to them.” Remarkably among the modern poets, his poems “stick” to the  "Mending Wall," with its famous invocation of the rural maxim "Good fences make good neighbors""The Road Not Taken," about the beguiling possibilities of life"Birches," which reminds us that "One could do worse than be a swinger of birches"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening," with it's unforgetable final "And miles to go before I sleep."Here, poet and Frost biographer Jay Parini presents these and 12 other Frost poems to learn by heart. In short accompanying commentaries, Parini illuminates the stylistic and imaginative features of each of the poems, drawing in biographical material from Frost’s life to provide further context.  “The goal of this little book is to encourage readers to slow down—to listen to Frost’s words and phrases, to locate their deepest rhythms, and hear the tune of each poem as it unfolds. . . . Memorizing a poem can teach us much about a poem’s structure and argument, and about the resonance of particular words. And best of all, memorization makes a poem part of our inner lives. Once committed to memory, a poem is available to us for recall at any time—and the occasions for remembering it will make themselves known to us. It isn’t something we have to work at.” Anyone who has read and loved Frost’s poetry will want to own and treasure this little gift edition. Those reading Frost for the first time or those wishing to become better acquainted with one of America’s greatest poets will not find a better, more insightful guide than Jay Parini.

Genres: Poetry

120 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 5, 2024

About the author

Flinty, moody, plainspoken and deep, Robert Frost was one of America's most popular 20th-century poets. Frost was farming in Derry, New Hampshire when, at the age of 38, he sold the farm, uprooted his family and moved to England, where he devoted himself to his poetry. His first two books of verse, A Boy's Will (1913) and North of Boston (1914), were immediate successes. In 1915 he returned to the United States and continued to write while living in New Hampshire and then Vermont. His pastoral images of apple trees and stone fences -- along with his solitary, man-of-few-words poetic voice -- helped define the modern image of rural New England. Frost's poems include "Mending Wall" ("Good fences make good neighbors"), "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" ("Whose woods these are I think I know"), and perhaps his most famous work, "The Road Not Taken" ("Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- / I took the one less traveled by"). Frost was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry four times: in 1924, 1931, 1937 and 1943. He also served as "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress" from 1958-59; that position was renamed as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry (or simply Poet Laureate) in 1986.

Frost recited his poem "The Gift Outright" at the 1961 inauguration of John F. Kennedy... Frost attended both Dartmouth College and Harvard, but did not graduate from either school... Frost preferred traditional rhyme and meter in poetry; his famous dismissal of free verse was, "I'd just as soon play tennis with the net down."

Reviews

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book presents sixteen of Frost's poems, each with a commentary on the poem, how events in Frost's life influenced said poem, and assorted background details. It includes the "greatest hits" (e.g. "Mending Wall," "The Road Not Taken," "Fire and Ice," and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,") a few of Frost's more obscure works, and a number that are in-between in status.

I found the commentaries to be interesting and readable, which is important as Frost's poems are now in the public domain, and so the value of this volume hinges on Parini's work. Parini includes some stories that offer insight into Frost's mindset, as with the story of the lady who approached him after a reading to ask the meaning of "Fire and Ice." Reading Frost isn't like reading, say, Allen Ginsberg, the latter being one who put it all out there - unabashedly, Frost's poetry is more guarded and deals more in nuanced metaphor. This makes a volume like this useful if it can offer any insight into the poet's mindset, which I think Parini does.

I considered reading this book to be an opportunity to learn more about the poems and poet, and - therefore - did not heavily weight the stated theme of presenting poems that should be rote memorized. I mention this because I suspect Parini had other criteria in mind as well. While the book does include poems that are easily memorized (e.g. "Fire and Ice" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening") as well as poems that have messages worth learning by heart (e.g. "Mending Wall" and "The Road Not Taken,") it also includes poems that aren't so memorable because they are long, not especially lyrical, or not particularly filled with stand-out ideas or vivid imagery (e.g. "Directive," "The Wood Pile," and "Birches.") This also begs the question, why one wouldn't include a poem like "Nothing Gold Can Stay," which is short, lyrical, and has an easily grasped message (i.e. easily memorized.)

As for ancillary matter, there is an appendix that offers tips for memorizing poems as well as a short "recommended reading" bibliography.

That said, I enjoyed reading this book; I got a lot out of Parini's commentary, and I would recommend the book for poetry readers.

[Eric Morrissey]

This was a great book for someone (like me) who knows little about poetry, and even less about Frost. I was under the impression that he wrote fluffy, light, sweet poems only, which was not true. The author talks about memorizing these poems, and I love his enthusiasm for Frost, but I’m definitely not memorizing these. The author writes a brief commentary of each poem afterward, detailing what Frost could mean, when he wrote the poems, etc. I would read way more poetry if they were all written in this format, at least to start.

[LeeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Winter time in New England is the best time to read Frost. This book provided helpful commentary and clarification as a guide to his poetry. While I don’t find these poems salvafic, the beauty can point to the One who is the author of all of life’s good and beautiful here on earth.

[Christopher Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

Free verse, Frost wrote, is “too much like tennis with the nets down.” I like free verse, myself, but reading this book’s commentary on Frost’s work helped me appreciate the discipline and rhythm of more conventional forms of poetry. The author’s deconstruction of Frost’s work was interesting, and also helped me appreciate the poems that much more. I particularly liked his essay on “The Road Not Taken,” which is a poem that’s become a bit of a cliche - albeit one evidently based on misinterpretation. “We’re all haunted by other possible lives and roads not taken,” the author observes. “They linger and trouble our sense of self.”

[John Fredrickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the majority of the book, Parini does a sensational job of introducing the complexities of Frost and his poetry to the reader. I have lately begun to appreciate the depth and nuance of Frost's poetry, which I believe is thought by many to be far simpler than it is. Parini opens up the poems that he has selected with easily understood explanations of the dynamics and allusions that they contain. The only reason that this is not rated 5 stars (the book is very good), is that the explanations given for 2 or 3 of the poems felt seriously off to me.

[Miley · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time reading anything like this since high school, but for whatever reason it called my name in Square Books. It was nice and nostalgic to 11th grade English, which felt fitting for a nostalgic poet like Frost? The descriptions of New England throughout the seasons make me want to scamper around an apple orchard in spring, and rewatch the fall episodes of Gilmore Girls. I don’t think I could read poetry any longer than this little book and not get tired of it but the author did a good job of being entertaining in succinct in his interpretations ✨

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly the book I hoped it would be. It’s the kind of thing I need to really appreciate and better understand a complex and subtle art form like poetry. The author seems to have devoted a lot of his life to loving, studying, and memorizing poetry, in general, and Frost, in particular, and it makes him a great guide/teacher. He’s excellent both in curation of a set of truly great poems to read and contemplate and in aiding the reader’s understanding sharpening his/her focus.

Wish I had books like this for lots of different poets and artists.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll keep this little volume on my shelf for a long time. I loved editor Parini's selection of poems--many were old friends but a few were new to me. For each, Parini highlighted--in just a few pages--some of the poem's themes and imagery, how the poem worked technically, and how each figured within the body of Frost's life and work. Most movingly, Parini shared what each poem meant in his own life, as well.

[Micaela *CLONAZINE* · Rating 4 out of 5]

16 beautiful poems by the great Robert Frost. Each poems has a little explanation to understanding it more but it's not necessary because his poetry speaks to the heart. One of the greatest North American poets. Reading him is like taking a walk in the countryside and he makes you feel his love and respect for nature. Amazing.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and small size makes it a wonderful companion to bring along to places. Love how digestible everything is while still going in depth (many other relevant authors mentioned like Aquinas and Virgil). Parini lowkey a d1 glazer on Frost but the analyses are great and you can tell that he did his research on it.

[Abbygail · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a beautiful entry into Frost's work. Parini evaluates each poem with critique, exploration, and wonder. I will return to this again and again.

This is the first book I've finished that I purchased from Shakespeare & Company in May '24.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful explanations

I needed the explanations the author provides after each Frost poem. I wanted to appreciate the work of Frost including poems I never heard before. The explanations got me mostly there most of the time, though occasionally not enough.

[Bailey McFadden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful poetry. I tend to enjoy his more “rhyme-y” poems. My favorites were: “Reluctance”, “The Road Not Taken”, “Out, Out-“, “Fire and Ice”, and my absolute favorite, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”. But all of the poems are lovely.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoughtfully chosen and intelligently thought over by Jay Parini. An excellent way to re-connect with a poet whose time and settings may be past, but whose best lines - and there are many in these 16 poems - remain timeless.

[John T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorry didn't learn even one by Heart.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful selection and wonderful discussion/assessment of the poems!

[Guinevere DelaMare · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Book club)

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked some more than others however, I did enjoy the background synopsis that goes along with each one

[Marissa Savala · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great introduction to some of Frost's notable poems with commentary by an expert in the field. It's a lovely book to keep where you can read a poem or two at random.

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent analyses by Jay Parini. Such a delight to also be pushed to memorize a couple of my favorites.

[Tina LaLima · Rating 5 out of 5]

You'll never look at The Road Less Traveled the same way again. Absolutely wonderful book, and an easy informative read.

[Susa Schwalbe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, engaging