A Passing Glimpse - A poem by Robert Frost

Robert Frost - A Passing Glimpse

To Ridgely Torrence
On Last Looking into His 'Hesperides'



I often see flowers from a passing car
That are gone before I can tell what they are.

I want to get out of the train and go back
To see what they were beside the track.

I name all the flowers I am sure they weren't;
Not fireweed loving where woods have burnt--

Not bluebells gracing a tunnel mouth--
Not lupine living on sand and drouth.

Was something brushed across my mind
That no one on earth will ever find?

Heaven gives it glimpses only to those
Not in position to look too close.

Added: on October 17th, 2005 at 1:17 AM | Viewed: 9064 times | Comments and analysis of A Passing Glimpse by Robert Frost Comments (8)

A Passing Glimpse - Comments and Information
Poet: Robert Frost (Robert Frost Art) Poem: 10. A Passing Glimpse Volume: West-Running Brook Year: Published/Written in 1928 Poem of the Day: Feb 8 2002 Comment 8 of 8, added on November 27th, 2008 at 12:19 PM. I think this poem talks about the mystery of creation that eludes us all of understanding. Yet because we constantly seek to understand creation or in more simpler terms, God we constantly look for knowing in everything we can understand and know. At best, what we conclude what it might be it is not. The Great mystery is great because it is and will remain a mystery. If we knew what we saw when we passed it by it would become plain and banal Donald from United States Comment 7 of 8, added on November 11th, 2005 at 11:05 PM. I think his poem talks about how the first impression of something that's attractive is usually over-glorified and inaccurate, but if we leave our impression as-is, then we can be left with that sense of beauty. However, once we look deep enough, we can soon notice the flaws and forget the beauty which we once saw was. So question is, should we enjoy things the way they are? Or should we go back to critique, only to be disappointed because nothing is perfect? Mel from Canada Comment 6 of 8, added on October 17th, 2005 at 1:17 AM. We are assesing this poem at school; my teacher read it out to us and told us it sounded like the train tracks :) Monica from New Zealand More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, A Passing Glimpse, has received 8 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Robert Frost with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Robert Frost Poem: 10. A Passing Glimpse Volume: West-Running Brook Year: Published/Written in 1928 Last read: Dec 9 2009, 3:57AM Poem of the Day: Feb 8 2002 Viewed 9064 times. Added on October 17th, 2005 at 1:17 AM.

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