CBSE -First Fight -Dust of Snow -Explanation and Q & a

Dust of Snow

About the author .. It would be imprudent to read this short and thoughtful poem without learning something about  Robert Frost, the legendary Nature-lover. Frost spent most part of his active literary life wandering around the lands, forests, rivers, valleys and mountains, and feasting his eyes in their beauty. He discovered many philosophical truths about the mundane world when he passed by Daffodils, snow-covered trees, woods, and streams. For the reader, it comes as a revelation to find the great many emotions and inspiration he drew from such trifling and innocuous things as a flower drifting in a stream or snowflakes falling from above. This short poem is one such composition of Robert Frost.

The poem.. The poet sits under a hemlock tree in a vacant, cheerless mind, unable to engage anything worthwhile. He is bored, and a bit sad, because an idle day seems to lies ahead. It is snowing and the snowflakes have settled on the foliage. A crow flies in from nowhere, and causes a flutter in the branches. The resulting movement makes a few flakes to fall on the poet, shaking off his idle and lazy mind.
Till then, the poet had nothing in mind. He had no plans for the day. All sorts of creative energy had taken leave of his mind and body. On the whole, a lazy and activity-less day appeared to be in store for him. The fall of the snowflakes from the branch jerks his mind and body. He springs to action, and gets ready to indulge something creative and meaningful. The day that seemed to be dull so far appears to be exciting and joyful. Such was the impact of a tiny flake of falling snow on his mind. Crow, black and seldom a sign of inspiration, has caused this great change in his day’s routine.

Thinking about the poem ..

  1. What is ‘Dust of Snow’ ……………………….Dust of snow means the small snow particles that get dislodged with a little shaking of the surface where it settles. The falling of the snow dust on him breaks the inactive state of his mind as it virtually awakes him. The poet’s mood becomes positive and creative again.
  2. How does Frost present ……….. Nature, according to Frost, has an overwhelming influence on human minds. At times, nature can make a man lazy, negative, and listless. At other times, it can make the mind exuberant, lively and positive. —————————————END—————-

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