Afield at dusk

What things for dream there are when specter-like,
Moving amond tall haycocks lightly piled,
I enter alone upon the stubbled filed,
From which the laborers’ voices late have died,
And in the antiphony of afterglow
And rising full moon, sit me down
Upon the full moon’s side of the first haycock
And lose myself amid so many alike.

I dream upon the opposing lights of the hour,
Preventing shadow until the moon prevail;
I dream upon the nighthawks peopling heaven,
Or plunging headlong with fierce twang afar;
And on the bat’s mute antics, who would seem
Dimly to have made out my secret place,
Only to lose it when he pirouettes,
On the last swallow’s sweep; and on the rasp
In the abyss of odor and rustle at my back,
That, silenced by my advent, finds once more,
After an interval, his instrument,
And tries once–twice–and thrice if I be there;
And on the worn book of old-golden song
I brought not here to read, it seems, but hold
And freshen in this air of withering sweetness;
But on the memor of one absent, most,
For whom these lines when they shall greet her eye.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Robert Frost's poem Waiting

10 Comments

  1. KaitKait says:

    I am going to memorize this poem for Language Arts class but, If I understood the meaning it would be easier. Does anyone know the meaning?
    Thanks

  2. Joseph kamuntu says:

    To me Frost is great poet because he uses frightening lines that calls the attention of the reader to cogitate about the beliefs about GOD. (see his DICTION)

  3. SOURABHI says:

    I LOVE HIS ALL POEMS AFTERALL HE IS MY FOVORITE POET.I LIVE IN SURAT(INDIA).ITHINK IPREFER THE ROAD NOT TAKRN THE BEST CAUSE IT HAS MEANINGS AND DEPTS OF EVERY ONE WORD.
    I THINK THIS IS THE BEST POEM I EVER READ

  4. Ava Grant says:

    I enjoy Robert Frost poems especially the road not taken because of it’s irony and the methaphors that are used.

  5. ian says:

    i love this poem sooo much i have to dmemorize the whole thing 4 english!!! ya i know that is very hard but i’ll do it i just wish i had the theme!

  6. Hannah says:

    I adore this poem and I’m doing it for english, i just need to find the theme, help me PLEASE!!!!

  7. sam nonce says:

    Glad you have the title correct in this comment section; it’s wrong on the poem page, and there’s an irritating typo as well.–

    That said, nice early Frost: he hasn’t quite subdued 19th c. sentimentality in both subject (an unavailable “one”) and in syntax–the last line is a killer, requiring a reread where, in later Frost, one would be left with a reverberation (“Or just some human sleep”).

  8. heather says:

    this is the best poem i ever read

  9. michelle says:

    i love robert frosts poems cause they have such depth and meanings to them. my favorite is the road not taken, its really good and im also doing it in school for english

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Do you have any comments, criticism, paraphrasis or analysis of this poem that you feel would assist other visitors in understanding the meaning or the theme of this poem by Robert Frost better? If accepted, your analysis will be added to this page of American Poems. Together we can build a wealth of information, but it will take some discipline and determination.