2. Dust of Snow
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2
First Stanza
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Summary
In this stanza, the poet is talking about a winter’s day when all the treetops were
covered with snowflakes. The poet was walking under one such snow-covered
tree. This was the North American conifer known as the hemlock named so
because its smell resembles that of the European plant from which the poison
known as hemlock was made. Hence, by virtue of its name, this tree was not one
that you could associate with anything positive. However, a crow alighted on this
tree suddenly, and because of that sudden motion, the mass of snowflakes atop it
fell down on the poet like rain. The snowflakes were so light and miniscule that
the poet thought they looked like white and immaculate dust particles (if indeed
dust particles could ever be white). This shower of snowflakes from the hemlock
tree is evidently the subject matter of this poem, since it touched the poet in
some way.
3. Dust of Snow
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3
Second Stanza
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
In this stanza, the poet explains to us exactly in what way the shower of
snowflakes had an effect on him. He says that it changed his mood. That is to say,
he had been in a sullen or despairing mood, and the snowflakes falling on him all
of a sudden gladdened his heart. In addition to this, there was another effect that
the shower of snowflakes had on the poet. He says that that particular day was
one that he had not been looking forward to, and in fact, it was not going too
well either.
He had decided, in his mind, that that particular day would go to waste. However,
the shower of dust-like snow on his shoulder changed his mind. It made him feel
that the day had not been a complete waste. At least some part of that day had
been pleasant, since it had given him a new experience that he could treasure as
well as the material for another one of his wonderful poetic compositions.
4. Dust of Snow
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4
Summary of the poem
A poisonous hemlock tree is covered in pure, white snow. A man
who is depressed is walking under the tree. At that precise
moment, the black crow of death shakes the pure, good snow on
the man. All that goodness helps the man to change his mind.
Instead, he decides to forget the regrets and sorrows to enable
healing.
In this way, a simple moment proves to be very significant and
saves the rest of the day of the poet from being wasted and held
in regret.
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Analysis of the poem
The black crow is commonly a symbol of death and fear.
Since the crow is not associated with goodness, it is ironic that in this poem, it is
doing a good deed by shaking off the snow.
Anyway, the beautiful snow that adorns the poisonous hemlock tree’s branches is
shaken off by a scary crow.
Robert Frost uses the elements of the fearsome crow and poisonous hemlock
tree to do something good – shake the white, pure snow off the branches. This
good act lifts the spirits of the man. The small act causes the man to have an
enlightened insight.
The poem, Dust of Snow by Robert Frost, reiterates that the little things in life
can make huge changes in our future. It also shows that if we can take the hard
times of life in stride, eventually something will happen to change our situation
into happier times. The simple things we do for others can make all the
difference.
Just think about those random acts of kindness we do and how much they
brighten a person’s day and sometimes change their future.
Noticing and appreciating all the small things in life will make our life happier. It
will also cause us to have a spirit that is willing to change and therefore succeed.
