"Birches" has many similarities to Elizabeth Bishop's ode to the aquatic warrior, and even more profound differences. They both are, on the surface, themed with praises towards the nature which surrounds them. Both writers shine a light on the hidden side of their immediate surroundings. When Bishop does it, the metaphores slowly evolve into praise for the found creature. However, Frost's approach is more stream-of-conciousness than anything else. So much so, that when he finds himself getting too literal, he stops and notes it.
Just as when, in my last posting, I noted the fact that I was blogging, Frost references his less metaphorical/more literal moment as "when Truth broke in with all her matter-of-fact". Not only does he find an entertaining way to segue back to his previous thought patterns, but he does it with such grace and affection for the digression. Not only does he refer to Truth as a woman, but he capitalizes the "T" to match. This, is true poetry. Well......it IS Robert Frost!!
good point about Frost's second-guessing his own poeticizing (Williams, too)--as Biship does. This also initiates that lager dialogue about the relationship between reality and the imagination
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