A Hillside Thaw Poem by Robert Frost
A Hillside Thaw
To think to know the country and now know
The hillside on the day the sun lets go
Ten million silver lizards out of snow!
As often as I've seen it done before
I can't pretend to tell the way it's done.
It looks as if some magic of the sun
Lifted the rug that bred them on the floor
And the light breaking on them made them run.
But if I though to stop the wet stampede,
And caught one silver lizard by the tail,
And put my foot on one without avail,
And threw myself wet-elbowed and wet-kneed
In front of twenty others' wriggling speed,-
In the confusion of them all aglitter,
And birds that joined in the excited fun
By doubling and redoubling song and twitter,
I have no doubt I'd end by holding none.
It takes the moon for this. The sun's a wizard
By all I tell; but so's the moon a witch.
From the high west she makes a gentle cast
And suddenly, without a jerk or twitch,
She has her speel on every single lizard.
I fancied when I looked at six o'clock
The swarm still ran and scuttled just as fast.
The moon was waiting for her chill effect.
I looked at nine: the swarm was turned to rock
In every lifelike posture of the swarm,
Transfixed on mountain slopes almost erect.
Across each other and side by side they lay.
The spell that so could hold them as they were
Was wrought through trees without a breath of storm
To make a leaf, if there had been one, stir.
It was the moon's: She held them until day.
One lizard at the end of every ray.
My copy of Frost has She has her spell on every single lizard. not She has her speel on every single lizard.
This poem has multiple typos in it. Just look at the actual book, whoever posted this didn't do ever basic checks.
Wonderful poem adorned with crystalline images. A poetic gem.
2) I have enjoyed very much this fantastic Modern Poem Of The Day!
1) A hillside thaw, causes ten million silver lizards out of snow! A lovely tale occurred within the eyes and mind of the great poet Robert Frost, the result: a very entertaining poem between heaven and earth and there betwixt,
'In the confusion of them all aglitter, And birds that joined in the excited fun By doubling and redoubling song and twitter, I have no doubt I'd end by holding none' - wonderful four lines that I liked, among many of the poem.
I was thrown by 'stray'. Is this the correct version of verse 2? 'Across each other and side by side they lay. The spell that so could hold them as they were Was wrought through trees without a breath of storm To make a leaf, if there had been one, stir. It was the moon’s she held them until day, One lizard at the end of every ray. The thought of my attempting such a stay! '
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/19/2024 10:51:33 AM # 1.0.0.1119
Only Frost could make a poem into a story into a huge moment full of mystery and beauty and human frailties and strength and in so doing make such a poetic masterpiece! ! !