First Stanza
The way a crowShook down on meThe dust of snowFrom a hemlock tree
Summary
In this stanza, the poet is talking about a winter’s day when all the treetops were covered with snowflakes. The poet was walking under one such snow-covered tree. This was the North American conifer known as the hemlock named so because its smell resembles that of the European plant from which the poison known as hemlock was made. Hence, by virtue of its name, this tree was not one that you could associate with anything positive. However, a crow alighted on this tree suddenly, and because of that sudden motion, the mass of snowflakes atop it fell down on the poet like rain. The snowflakes were so light and miniscule that the poet thought they looked like white and immaculate dust particles (if indeed dust particles could ever be white). This shower of snowflakes from the hemlock tree is evidently the subject matter of this poem, since it touched the poet in some way.
Second Stanza
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
In this stanza, the poet explains to us exactly in what way the shower of snowflakes had an effect on him. He says that it changed his mood. That is to say, he had been in a sullen or despairing mood, and the snowflakes falling on him all of a sudden gladdened his heart. In addition to this, there was another effect that the shower of snowflakes had on the poet. He says that that particular day was one that he had not been looking forward to, and in fact, it was not going too well either.
He had decided, in his mind, that that particular day would go to waste. However, the shower of dust-like snow on his shoulder changed his mind. It made him feel that the day had not been a complete waste. At least some part of that day had been pleasant, since it had given him a new experience that he could treasure as well as the material for another one of his wonderful poetic compositions.
Summary of the poem
A poisonous hemlock tree is covered in pure, white snow. A man who is depressed is walking under the tree. At that precise moment, the black crow of death shakes the pure, good snow on the man. All that goodness helps the man to change his mind.
Instead, he decides to forget the regrets and sorrows to enable healing.
In this way, a simple moment proves to be very significant and saves the rest of the day of the poet from being wasted and held in regret.
Analysis of poem
The black crow is commonly a symbol of death and fear. Since the crow is not associated with goodness, it is ironic that in this poem, it is doing a good deed by shaking off the snow. Anyway, the beautiful snow that adorns the poisonous hemlock tree’s branches is shaken off by a scary crow. Robert Frost uses the elements of the fearsome crow and poisonous hemlock tree to do something good – shake the white, pure snow off the branches. This good act lifts the spirits of the man. The small act causes the man to have an enlightened insight. The poem, Dust of Snow by Robert Frost, reiterates that the little things in life can make huge changes in our future. It also shows that if we can take the hard times of life in stride, eventually something will happen to change our situation into happier times. The simple things we do for others can make all the difference.
Just think about those random acts of kindness we do and how much they brighten a person’s day and sometimes change their future. Noticing and appreciating all the small things in life will make our life happier. It will also cause us to have a spirit that is willing to change and therefore succeed.
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