Dust of Snow
The poem "Dust of
Snow" by Robert Frost is short and simple but has a deeper meaning. It
shows how something small, like snow falling on you, can change your mood.
Frost shares the idea that even small things in life can have a bigger impact,
saying:
“Always, always a larger significance…
A little thing touches a larger thing.”
Theme of the Poem
The theme of the poem is how nature can change our mood and perspective. In the
poem, the crow and the hemlock tree, both often seen as unlucky, help shift the
poet’s mood from regret to happiness.
Poetic Devices
- Rhyme Scheme: abab cdcd
- Alliteration: This is when the same sound appears at
the start of closely connected words. Examples:
- "Has given my heart"
- "And saved some
part"
- Inversion: This is when the sentence structure is
changed for rhyme. An example is in the first stanza.
- Assonance: This is when a vowel sound is repeated
in a line. Example: In stanza 1, line 2, "Shook down
on me" where the 'o' sound is repeated.
- Enjambment: This is when a sentence continues to the next line without punctuation. The poem uses enjambment throughout.
Questions about the
Poem
- What is 'dust of snow'? What has changed
the poet's mood?
Answer: 'Dust of snow' refers to small snowflakes. The poet’s mood changes when a crow sitting on a hemlock tree shakes snow onto him. The poet was feeling regretful but the snow lifted his mood. - How does Frost present nature in his poem?
Answer: Frost uses the crow and the hemlock tree from nature to represent his mood of regret. These things are usually seen as symbols of sorrow. However, the snow falling on him brings joy, showing how nature can change our mood. - What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’
represent, joy or sorrow? What does the dust of snow stand for?
Answer: The crow and hemlock tree represent sorrow. The dust of snow represents joy. The poet uses these opposite images to show the change in his mood. - What does 'the dust of snow' represent?
Answer: The dust of snow represents nature's refreshing and uplifting power. It quickly changes the poet's mood. - What caused the poet’s change of mood?
Answer: The poet’s mood changed when a crow sitting on the hemlock tree shook snow down onto him while he was sitting under the tree. - What did the change in mood lead to?
Answer: The change in mood saved the rest of the poet's day from being wasted on regret. - How does the poet plan to spend the rest
of the day?
Answer: The poet plans to be productive for the rest of the day, using it wisely. Without the snow, he might have spent the whole day regretting.
