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Robert Frost - To Earthward

Love at the lips was touch
As sweet as I could bear;
And once that seemed too much;
I lived on air
That crossed me from sweet things,
The scent of -- was it musk
From hidden grapevine springs
Down hill at dusk?
I had the swirl and ache
From sprays of honeysuckle
That when they're gathered shake
Dew on the knuckle.
I craved sweet things, but those
Seemed strong when I was young;
The petal of the rose
It was that stung.
Now no joy but lacks salt
That is not dashed with pain
And weariness and fault;
I crave the stain
Of tears, the aftermark
Of almost too much love,
The sweet of bitter bark
And burning clove.
When stiff and sore and scarred
I take away my hand
From leaning on it hard
In grass and sand,
The hurt is not enough:
I long for weight and strength
To feel the earth as rough
To all my length.

Added: on January 27th, 2006 at 8:44 AM | Viewed: 11669 times | Comments and analysis of To Earthward by Robert Frost Comments (5)


To Earthward - Comments and Information

Poet: Robert Frost (Robert Frost Art)
Poem: 28. To Earthward
Volume: New Hampshire
Year: Published/Written in 1923
Poem of the Day: May 2 2007

Comment 5 of 5, added on April 14th, 2009 at 1:55 PM.

obviously this guy is talking about masturbating to much love all that talk and he is so horny and it hurts so he wants to masturbate pretty obvious and hurts to all my length practically sells its self

Moe dollaz from United States
Comment 4 of 5, added on February 22nd, 2007 at 2:00 PM.

this is the most romantic poem i have read

abby from United States
Comment 3 of 5, added on January 27th, 2006 at 8:44 AM.

I think that this poem is ageless. Yes reference to age would be the natural conclusion However, youth are not immune to loss or weariness. To me this poem rings true to loss. He had this wonderful love. Love which by the touch of her lips lifted his feet of the ground. But now that love is lost. She's not with him. And this hurt and pain isn't enough to sustian him. All he wants is the return of that loss and since he can't seem to get it, he just wants to rest and never wake up. For those of us out there lucky enough to come across this poem. It can speak true to us in any type of loss, signoficant others or loved ones. I know that after you experience a major loss in your life, that certain scent can take you back to the exact feelings you felt, good or bad. There comes a time in grief when you realize that this person that you loved, who was a part of your everyday life and a part of who your are as a person is not coming back. No matter how much you pray and hope for it. So in that very next moment after you realize, (for some people it may last only a moment, for others it may last there life time) there is this feeling that all you want in this world is to die, because it has to be better than what you are feeling in that moment. Then if you are lucky the moment passes and the process of grief and healing begins. I think true this poem Mr. Frost was able to release the hurt he had carried and I think in that sense this poem is very healing and beautiful.

Shelly from Canada

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