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Frost on the Window: Poems
Classical legend and location, myth and magic, birds and animals and the love of natural beauty are all reflected in this lyrically accessible collection of poems by the novelist Mary Stewart.
- GenresPoetry
110 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1990
88 people want to read
About the author
Mary Stewart
92 books2,870 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
Lady Mary Stewart, born Mary Florence Elinor Rainbow, was a popular English novelist, and taught at the school of John Norquay elementary for 30 to 35 years.
She was one of the most widely read fiction writers of our time. The author of twenty novels, a volume of poetry, and three books for young readers, she was admired for both her contemporary stories of romantic suspense and her historical novels. Born in England, she lived for many years in Scotland, spending time between Edinburgh and the West Highlands.
Her unofficial fan site can be found at http://marystewartnovels.blogspot.com/.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 27, 2024
Mary Stewart is justly celebrated for her descriptive powers in her popular novels; with a few sentences she can sketch a landscape in a way that brings it vividly to life in the reader’s mind. There are glimmers of that gift in this collection of poetry, which was published late in her life but mostly contains verse written in her youth. It can be found in lines like
Here they were yesterday.
Fetlocks planted in the peat-brown stream,
Shearing the water as it slid like silk
Over the shelf of slate to lucent depths
Where trout criss-cross like weaving of phantom shuttles,
Quicker than mayfly’s shadow
which hold a rhythmic grace as well (though one has to wonder how a “peat-brown” stream can have “lucent” depths). The problem is that those lines are found in a poem about centaurs—not symbolic centaurs, but an unironic teenage girl’s wistful dream of centaurs being real. Such poetry is doubtless prized by doting parents but published in a book, read by strangers, it is cringeworthy.
I was a romantic child as well, inspired by myth and fable, but I know better than to put my youthful effusions on the subject into print. I can understand that a child growing up during World War II in Britain might have needed to escape into fantasy and these might have been poignant at the time, but they are not built to last.
The majority of the poems range from homages classical myths (an extended Persephone series especially lacks insight into the subtleties of that story) to fairy tales (Beauty and the Beast primarily from the point of view of the Beast—I admit I only skimmed that one) to attempts to copy famous poets’ styles (Gerard Manley Hopkins, Andrew Marvell, etc.). There are a few wartime verses that show some feeling but are mostly conventional. In fact, the entirety of the collection exudes conventionality; the furthest Stewart strays into poetry’s potential is the occasional offset line. A B A B rhyme schemes rule.
The title poem, “Frost on the Window,” is not one of the better ones but it is one of the few that attempts an extended metaphor, which at least shows ambition. The patterns of frost on a window show an imaginative girl whole worlds of alternate realities, which serves as a self-portrait of a child destined to be a writer of fiction.
I read this book because I am a completist and it was the only Mary Stewart publication I had never read (short of delving into ephemera that published some of her short stories). Glad to have read it, happy not to read it again.
Here they were yesterday.
Fetlocks planted in the peat-brown stream,
Shearing the water as it slid like silk
Over the shelf of slate to lucent depths
Where trout criss-cross like weaving of phantom shuttles,
Quicker than mayfly’s shadow
which hold a rhythmic grace as well (though one has to wonder how a “peat-brown” stream can have “lucent” depths). The problem is that those lines are found in a poem about centaurs—not symbolic centaurs, but an unironic teenage girl’s wistful dream of centaurs being real. Such poetry is doubtless prized by doting parents but published in a book, read by strangers, it is cringeworthy.
I was a romantic child as well, inspired by myth and fable, but I know better than to put my youthful effusions on the subject into print. I can understand that a child growing up during World War II in Britain might have needed to escape into fantasy and these might have been poignant at the time, but they are not built to last.
The majority of the poems range from homages classical myths (an extended Persephone series especially lacks insight into the subtleties of that story) to fairy tales (Beauty and the Beast primarily from the point of view of the Beast—I admit I only skimmed that one) to attempts to copy famous poets’ styles (Gerard Manley Hopkins, Andrew Marvell, etc.). There are a few wartime verses that show some feeling but are mostly conventional. In fact, the entirety of the collection exudes conventionality; the furthest Stewart strays into poetry’s potential is the occasional offset line. A B A B rhyme schemes rule.
The title poem, “Frost on the Window,” is not one of the better ones but it is one of the few that attempts an extended metaphor, which at least shows ambition. The patterns of frost on a window show an imaginative girl whole worlds of alternate realities, which serves as a self-portrait of a child destined to be a writer of fiction.
I read this book because I am a completist and it was the only Mary Stewart publication I had never read (short of delving into ephemera that published some of her short stories). Glad to have read it, happy not to read it again.
January 1, 2022
Frost on the Window was a lovely collection of Mary Stewart’s poems. I could sense little nods to some of her other works. It makes me sad that we’ve finished all of her books this year! I’ve never had such a concentrated author experience as I have with her this year. I'm not much of a poetry afficionado, so I'm sure I didn't appreciate these as much as I should have done.
January 23, 2016
I feel really guilty about giving a Mary Stewart book only 3 stars,but I just didn't enjoy it.
A very bleak, melancholy & depressing read,the majority of the poems are about death,decay,sorrow,suffering etc.
I can only presume Mary wasn't in a particularly positive frame of mind when she wrote these.
If I'm being honest a lot of them went over my head,as I don't really know much about classical legends,Cain,Beauty and the Beast, you really do have to know the subjects before understanding these poems fully.
This really wasn't what I was expecting from the author,I was thinking the poems would be a lot more accessible,more about everyday life,there are nice little line drawings by Gavin Rowe,but I'm sorry to say I was glad to be finishing it.
A very bleak, melancholy & depressing read,the majority of the poems are about death,decay,sorrow,suffering etc.
I can only presume Mary wasn't in a particularly positive frame of mind when she wrote these.
If I'm being honest a lot of them went over my head,as I don't really know much about classical legends,Cain,Beauty and the Beast, you really do have to know the subjects before understanding these poems fully.
This really wasn't what I was expecting from the author,I was thinking the poems would be a lot more accessible,more about everyday life,there are nice little line drawings by Gavin Rowe,but I'm sorry to say I was glad to be finishing it.
November 28, 2021
I love Mary Stewart books because her use of the English language is amazing--so lyrical, so descriptive. Her poetry is even more so--these poems are beautiful, fascinating, emotional. I loved every one--simply a magical book.
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February 21, 2012Frost on the Window: Poems by Mary Stewart (1991)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews