'A Dream Pang' by Robert Frost

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A Boy's Will1915I had withdrawn in forest, and my song
Was swallowed up in leaves that blew alway;
And to the forest edge you came one day
(This was my dream) and looked and pondered long,
But did not enter, though the wish was strong:
You shook your pensive head as who should say,
‘I dare not--too far in his footsteps stray--
He must seek me would he undo the wrong.Not far, but near, I stood and saw it all
Behind low boughs the trees let down outside;
And the sweet pang it cost me not to call
And tell you that I saw does still abide.
But 'tis not true that thus I dwelt aloof,
For the wood wakes, and you are here for proof.

Editor 1 Interpretation

A Dream Pang: A Poetic Masterpiece by Robert Frost

Have you ever had a dream so vivid that it almost felt real? Have you ever woken up from a dream feeling overwhelmed by its intensity? Robert Frost's "A Dream Pang" captures that exact feeling with its haunting imagery and introspective tone. In this 22-line poem, Frost explores the complex emotions that arise from a dream, weaving together themes of love, loss, and regret.

The Poem

Before we dive into the interpretation of the poem, let's take a moment to appreciate the words themselves. Frost's use of language is simply stunning, and it's no wonder he's considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century.

The poem begins:

Love and forgetting might have carried them
A little further up the mountain side
With night so near, but not much further up. 
They must have halted soon in any case
With thoughts of a path back, how rough it was
With rock and washout, and unsafe in darkness;
When they were halted by a tumbled wall
With barbed-wire binding. They stood facing this,
Spending what onward impulse they still had
In One last look the way they must not go,
On up the failing path, where, if a stone
Or earthslide moved at night, it moved itself;
No footstep moved it. 'This is all,' they sighed,
Good-night to woods.' But not so; there was more.

Just in these few lines, Frost paints a vivid picture of a couple on a mountain, halted by a wall and barbed wire. He uses alliteration and repetition to emphasize the difficulty of their path and the finality of their decision to turn back. And yet, as he so often does, Frost subverts our expectations by revealing that there is more to the story.

The poem continues:

Not to keep the ground from falling away under them
But to tell them how to fall, they'd come to trust
Each other perishing. And then their trust
That would have risen to a lifelong love,
Was shattered. A broken drinking-glass
Was all the house that was. And still they stood,
A great wave from it going over them,
As if the earth in one unlooked-for favour
Had made them certain earth returned their love.

Here, Frost introduces a twist that takes the poem to a deeper level. It turns out that the couple's journey up the mountain was not just a physical one, but an emotional one as well. They had come to "trust each other perishing" - in other words, they had reached a level of intimacy and vulnerability that only comes in the face of mortality. But something happened to shatter that trust, to break the "drinking-glass" of their love. And yet, despite the fracture, they remain together, as if the very earth itself is affirming their bond.

Finally, the poem concludes:

Nor was it earth the vague forms spoke in words,
But heaven, or heaven's substitute, the brush
Of trees and leaves, sound of the mountain stream,
Anything, everything, possessing them.
As the night advanced, they ceased to speak,
Autumn, and the last moon of autumn, fell
Upon them from the open sky, and they
That knew the moon, and loved it, made it new
In that eternity of loneliness.

Here, Frost expands the scope from just the two lovers to the natural world around them. The "vague forms" that speak to them are not of this earth, but of something greater, something that transcends even death. And in the face of this mystery, the couple is united once again, bound by their shared experience of loneliness and the beauty of the moon.

Interpretation

So what does it all mean? As with any great work of art, there are multiple interpretations, but one that stands out to me is the idea that love is never simple or easy, but is instead a journey that requires trust, vulnerability, and sacrifice.

The couple in the poem had come so far in their journey, both literally and figuratively. They had faced physical obstacles and emotional barriers, and had come out the other side with a deep trust in each other. But that trust was shattered by some unknown event, leaving them with only the memory of what could have been. And yet, despite the fracture, they remain together, as if the very earth itself is affirming their bond.

To me, this speaks to the idea that love is not just about the good times, but about the hard times as well. It's about facing obstacles together, about being vulnerable and honest even when it's difficult. And when that trust is broken, as it inevitably will be, it's about finding a way to come back together, to rebuild what was lost.

But the poem also speaks to something deeper, something beyond just the mechanics of love. The idea that the natural world itself can speak to us, can affirm our connections to each other and to something greater, is a powerful one. In moments of loneliness and despair, it's that connection to something larger than ourselves that can sustain us, that can give us hope and meaning.

Conclusion

"A Dream Pang" is a poem that rewards multiple readings and interpretations. Its haunting imagery and introspective tone make it a masterpiece of modern poetry, and its exploration of love, loss, and the mysteries of the natural world make it a work that resonates deeply with readers of all ages. As with all great art, it leaves us with more questions than answers, and invites us to ponder the meaning of our own lives and loves in the face of an uncertain and mysterious world.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry is a form of art that has the power to evoke emotions and stir the soul. One such poem that has stood the test of time is "A Dream Pang" by Robert Frost. This poem is a masterpiece that captures the essence of human emotions and the complexities of life. In this article, we will delve into the depths of this poem and analyze its meaning and significance.

The poem "A Dream Pang" is a short but powerful piece of literature that explores the theme of loss and regret. It is a dream-like narrative that takes the reader on a journey through the mind of the speaker. The poem begins with the speaker describing a dream that he had. In this dream, he sees his love walking away from him, leaving him alone and desolate. The speaker wakes up from this dream with a sense of loss and regret, realizing that he has lost his love forever.

The first stanza of the poem sets the tone for the rest of the piece. The speaker describes the dream he had, saying, "I had withdrawn in forest, and my song / Was swallowed up in leaves that blew alway." This imagery of the forest and the leaves blowing away creates a sense of isolation and loneliness. The speaker is alone in the forest, and his song is lost in the wind. This sets the stage for the theme of loss and regret that is explored throughout the poem.

The second stanza of the poem is where the speaker wakes up from his dream. He describes the feeling of loss and regret that he experiences, saying, "I went to turn the grass once after one / Who mowed it in the dew before the sun." The act of turning the grass is a metaphor for trying to undo what has been done. The speaker is trying to go back in time and change the course of events that led to his loss. However, he realizes that it is too late, and his love is gone forever.

The third stanza of the poem is where the speaker reflects on his past and the mistakes he has made. He says, "But the dew was gone upon the ground, / And no voice said, 'Forget, forget, / The stars are out and on the ground / Restless they shine although they are not met." The dew on the ground represents the past, and the fact that it is gone means that the speaker cannot change what has happened. The stars shining on the ground represent the future, and the fact that they are restless means that the speaker is uncertain about what lies ahead.

The fourth and final stanza of the poem is where the speaker comes to terms with his loss and regret. He says, "The dew was gone; the stars were gone; / The sun was up and shining now. / I see not how I came to know / That there was anything more to do." The fact that the dew, stars, and sun are gone represents the passing of time. The speaker realizes that he cannot change the past, and he must move on with his life. He has come to the realization that there is nothing more he can do to change what has happened.

In conclusion, "A Dream Pang" is a powerful poem that explores the theme of loss and regret. It is a dream-like narrative that takes the reader on a journey through the mind of the speaker. The poem is filled with vivid imagery and metaphors that create a sense of isolation and loneliness. The speaker wakes up from his dream with a sense of loss and regret, realizing that he has lost his love forever. He reflects on his past and the mistakes he has made, but ultimately comes to terms with his loss and realizes that he must move on with his life. This poem is a masterpiece that captures the essence of human emotions and the complexities of life.

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