Poets | Members | Poem of the Day | Top 40 | Search | Comments | Privacy
December 3rd, 2009 - we have 234 poets, 8,023 poems and 18,026 comments.
Robert Frost - Leaves Compared With Flowers

A tree's leaves may be ever so good,
So may its bar, so may its wood;
But unless you put the right thing to its root
It never will show much flower or fruit.

But I may be one who does not care
Ever to have tree bloom or bear.
Leaves for smooth and bark for rough,
Leaves and bark may be tree enough.

Some giant trees have bloom so small
They might as well have none at all.
Late in life I have come on fern.
Now lichens are due to have their turn.

I bade men tell me which in brief,
Which is fairer, flower or leaf.
They did not have the wit to say,
Leaves by night and flowers by day.

Leaves and bar, leaves and bark,
To lean against and hear in the dark.
Petals I may have once pursued.
Leaves are all my darker mood.

Added: on March 22nd, 2006 at 9:23 AM | Viewed: 12619 times | Comments and analysis of Leaves Compared With Flowers by Robert Frost Comments (5)


Leaves Compared With Flowers - Comments and Information

Poet: Robert Frost (Robert Frost Art)
Poem: Leaves Compared With Flowers
Volume: A Further Range
Year: Published/Written in 1936

Comment 5 of 5, added on October 5th, 2009 at 8:03 PM.

I own a copy of a book titled The Poetry of Robert Frost and in the book, this poem is published with the word "bark." I believe "so may it's bar, so may its wood" as it is shown on the internet on several websites, is just a typo.

Samantha from United States
Comment 4 of 5, added on November 27th, 2007 at 12:16 AM.

The 'authoritative' collected poems of Robert Frost reads "Leaves and bark, leaves and bark"--the textual notes suggest no other variations on that line.

My opinion is that this was a typo that has been copied and pasted into several web sites.

Ryan from United States
Comment 3 of 5, added on March 22nd, 2006 at 9:23 AM.

"Leaves and bar, leaves and bark" - what does "bar" mean?

Dennis Barnes from United States

Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Leaves Compared With Flowers, has received 5 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

Frost Info
Copyright © 2000-2009 Gunnar Bengtsson. All Rights Reserved. Links | Bookstore