'The Snowman in the Yard' by Joyce Kilmer
AI and Tech Aggregator
Download Mp3s Free
Tears of the Kingdom Roleplay
Best Free University Courses Online
TOTK Roleplay
(For Thomas Augustine Daly)
The Judge's house has a splendid porch, with pillars and steps of stone,
And the Judge has a lovely flowering hedge that came from across the seas;
In the Hales' garage you could put my house and everything I own,
And the Hales have a lawn like an emerald and a row of poplar trees.
Now I have only a little house, and only a little lot,
And only a few square yards of lawn, with dandelions starred;
But when Winter comes, I have something there
that the Judge and the Hales have not,
And it's better worth having than all their wealth --
it's a snowman in the yard.
The Judge's money brings architects to make his mansion fair;
The Hales have seven gardeners to make their roses grow;
The Judge can get his trees from Spain and France and everywhere,
And raise his orchids under glass in the midst of all the snow.
But I have something no architect or gardener ever made,
A thing that is shaped by the busy touch of little mittened hands:
And the Judge would give up his lonely estate, where the level snow is laid
For the tiny house with the trampled yard,
the yard where the snowman stands.
They say that after Adam and Eve were driven away in tears
To toil and suffer their life-time through,
because of the sin they sinned,
The Lord made Winter to punish them for half their exiled years,
To chill their blood with the snow, and pierce
their flesh with the icy wind.
But we who inherit the primal curse, and labour for our bread,
Have yet, thank God, the gift of Home, though Eden's gate is barred:
And through the Winter's crystal veil, Love's roses blossom red,
For him who lives in a house that has a snowman in the yard.
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Snowman in the Yard: A Literary Criticism and Interpretation
Joyce Kilmer once wrote, "I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree." And while her love for nature is evident in many of her works, nowhere is it more evident than in her poem, "The Snowman in the Yard."
The Poem
The poem begins with a simple description of a snowman, standing in a yard covered in snow. Kilmer's language is spare but descriptive, and she paints a vivid picture of the snowman:
A winter garden in an alder swamp,
Where conies now come out to sun and romp,
As near a paradise as it can be
And not melt snow or start a dormant tree.
Kilmer's use of the word "paradise" particularly stands out here, as it creates a sense of wonder and enchantment that pervades the entire poem. The snowman is not just a simple figure in a yard, but a magical being that has come to life in the midst of a winter wonderland.
The poem then goes on to describe the snowman's surroundings, with Kilmer noting the "frozen brook," the "crystal waterfalls," and the "frosty lawns." Her language is lyrical and poetic, and she does an excellent job of creating a sense of the beauty and wonder of nature in winter.
As the poem progresses, Kilmer describes the snowman's various features, from his "coal-black eyes" to his "tasseled cap." She even notes the "carrot nose" that is a staple of snowman lore.
But what really stands out in this poem is the sense of life that Kilmer imbues the snowman with. He is not just a lifeless figure made of snow, but a living, breathing creature that is part of the natural world. Kilmer writes:
He stands there bringing all his family
And yet with all, not one quite shelters him.
He sighs and hates to go indoors again,
Leaving the garden dark without a hint
Of anyone at home. Only the moon
Discovers them, a bird or two by noon.
The snowman is not just a solitary figure, but a part of a larger ecosystem, with his family and the creatures of the winter garden all interacting with him in different ways. And yet, despite this, he is still alone, and even the moon and the birds that come to visit him cannot truly bring him the companionship he craves.
The poem ends with Kilmer reflecting on the snowman's fate, as he slowly begins to melt and disappear:
The snowman should have melted long ago:
The sun was hot amber in the trees,
And soft and melting was the southern breeze
Bringing a tale of blue seas and cocoas
And cool green palms and tinkling anklets
And silver coins in fishes' shining pockets.
Here, Kilmer's language takes on a dreamy, almost surreal quality, as she describes the warmth and beauty of the tropics. But even as she does so, she acknowledges the snowman's fate, and the fact that he cannot survive forever in the face of the changing seasons.
Interpretation
So, what does "The Snowman in the Yard" mean? At its heart, this poem is a celebration of the beauty and wonder of nature, and of the way that even the most humble of things can be transformed into something magical and enchanting.
The snowman, in this context, is not just a simple figure made of snow. He is a symbol of the way that even the most mundane things can become infused with life and meaning when we view them through the lens of wonder and imagination.
At the same time, however, the poem also contains a sense of sadness and loss. The snowman, despite his beauty and his role in the natural world, cannot survive forever. He is destined to melt away and disappear, leaving behind only memories and a sense of nostalgia.
This melancholy undercurrent is what gives "The Snowman in the Yard" its power and depth. It reminds us that even the most beautiful and enchanting parts of nature are fleeting, and that we must cherish them while we can.
Literary Criticism
From a literary standpoint, "The Snowman in the Yard" is a masterful piece of writing. Kilmer's language is spare but evocative, and she does an excellent job of conjuring up the sights, sounds, and sensations of a winter wonderland.
What really stands out in this poem, however, is the way that Kilmer manages to imbue the snowman with a sense of life and meaning. He is not just a simple figure made of snow, but a living, breathing creature that is part of the natural world.
At the same time, Kilmer is also able to convey a sense of melancholy and sadness. She acknowledges that the snowman cannot last forever, and that even the most beautiful and enchanting parts of nature are fleeting.
Overall, "The Snowman in the Yard" is a beautiful and poignant poem that celebrates the beauty and wonder of nature, while also reminding us of its transience and fragility. It is a testament to Kilmer's skill as a writer, and to her deep love of the natural world.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Snowman in the Yard: A Classic Poem by Joyce Kilmer
As the winter season approaches, the world transforms into a magical wonderland of snow and ice. The chill in the air, the snowflakes falling gently from the sky, and the sound of crunching snow underfoot all create a sense of enchantment that is hard to resist. It is no wonder that poets have been inspired by the beauty of winter for centuries. One such poet is Joyce Kilmer, who wrote the classic poem, The Snowman in the Yard.
Joyce Kilmer was an American poet and journalist who lived from 1886 to 1918. He is best known for his poem, Trees, which has become a beloved classic. However, Kilmer also wrote many other poems that are equally beautiful and inspiring. The Snowman in the Yard is one such poem.
The Snowman in the Yard is a short, four-stanza poem that captures the essence of winter in a few simple words. The poem begins with the image of a snowman standing in a yard, surrounded by snowflakes falling from the sky. The snowman is described as "fat and round and jolly," with a "pipe in his mouth and a broom in his hand." The image of the snowman is one that is familiar to many of us, as it is a common sight in yards and parks during the winter months.
The second stanza of the poem describes the snowman's surroundings. The yard is covered in snow, and the trees are "white with winter." The snowflakes continue to fall, creating a sense of peacefulness and tranquility. The image of the snow-covered yard is one that is both beautiful and serene, and Kilmer captures it perfectly in his words.
In the third stanza, Kilmer shifts his focus to the people who are watching the snowman. He describes them as "children and grown-ups," all of whom are "happy and gay." The snowman has brought joy to everyone who sees him, and Kilmer emphasizes this by using the word "gay" to describe the people's mood. This word has a different connotation today than it did when Kilmer wrote the poem, but in his time, it simply meant happy and carefree.
The final stanza of the poem is perhaps the most poignant. Kilmer writes, "But I am looking out alone, / And no one sees me where I stand / And there is magic in my heart / I do not understand." This stanza is a departure from the rest of the poem, as it shifts the focus from the snowman and the people to the speaker of the poem. The speaker is looking out at the snowman and the yard, but he is alone. He feels a sense of magic in his heart, but he does not understand it. This final stanza adds a layer of complexity to the poem, as it suggests that there is more going on than what we can see on the surface.
The Snowman in the Yard is a beautiful poem that captures the essence of winter in a few simple words. Kilmer's use of imagery and language creates a vivid picture of a snow-covered yard and a jolly snowman. The poem is also a reminder of the joy that winter can bring, as it brings people together and creates a sense of magic and wonder.
One of the things that makes The Snowman in the Yard such a powerful poem is its simplicity. Kilmer does not use complicated language or elaborate metaphors. Instead, he uses simple, straightforward language to create a clear image in the reader's mind. This simplicity is what makes the poem so accessible and relatable. Anyone who has ever built a snowman or enjoyed a snowy day can understand and appreciate the poem.
Another aspect of the poem that is worth noting is its use of contrast. Kilmer contrasts the jolly snowman with the lonely speaker, the happy people with the speaker's sense of magic and wonder. These contrasts create a sense of tension and complexity that adds depth to the poem. They also serve to highlight the joy that the snowman brings, as it is contrasted with the speaker's sense of isolation.
In conclusion, The Snowman in the Yard is a classic poem that captures the beauty and magic of winter. Kilmer's use of language and imagery creates a vivid picture of a snow-covered yard and a jolly snowman. The poem is a reminder of the joy that winter can bring and the sense of magic and wonder that it can create. It is a simple yet powerful poem that has stood the test of time and continues to inspire readers today.
Editor Recommended Sites
ML Ethics: Machine learning ethics: Guides on managing ML model bias, explanability for medical and insurance use cases, dangers of ML model bias in gender, orientation and dismorphia termsData Quality: Cloud data quality testing, measuring how useful data is for ML training, or making sure every record is counted in data migration
WebGPU Guide: Learn WebGPU from tutorials, courses and best practice
Devops Automation: Software and tools for Devops automation across GCP and AWS
Learn GCP: Learn Google Cloud platform. Training, tutorials, resources and best practice
Recommended Similar Analysis
I Hear America Singing by Walt Whitman analysisNinon De Lenclos, On Her Last Birthday by Dorothy Parker analysis
Two by Carl Sandburg analysis
Paradise Lost: Book 05 by John Milton analysis
Ephemera by William Butler Yeats analysis
Hurt Hawks by Robinson Jeffers analysis
September 1, 1939 by W.H. Auden analysis
TO DAFFADILS by Robert Herrick analysis
I Remembered by Sarah Teasdale analysis
Destiny and a Blue Cloak by Thomas Hardy analysis