Never Again Would Bird’s Song Be The Same

He would declare and could himself believe
That the birds there in all the garden round
From having heard the daylong voice of Eve
Had added to their own an oversound,
Her tone of meaning but without the words.
Admittedly an eloquence so soft
Could only have had an influence on birds
When call or laughter carried it aloft.
Be that as may be, she was in their song.
Moreover her voice upon their voices crossed
Had now persisted in the woods so long
That probably it never would be lost.
Never again would birds’ song be the same.
And to do that to birds was why she came.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Robert Frost's poem Never Again Would Bird’s Song Be The Same

17 Comments

  1. Harry says:

    The lightness of this poem is its strength. Every religious tradition has blamed Adam but mostly Eve for mankind’s fallen state. But, there is no blaming of anyone or anything in this poem. How refreshing! Eve affects the sound of birdsong when her “call and laughter” are carried aloft. I love the sound of a woman laughing.

  2. Chris says:

    his wife died in 1938, his son committed suicide in 1940.

  3. jessi says:

    ok who cares wat it means just read the poem and think about the beauty that is written

  4. Ashley says:

    This poem coul dbe seen as either way, wether it is praising women for the elegance that we bring to the world, for example “Eve” inspired the birds to sing a more beautiful and eloquent song. Robert Frost said” and never would the song be the same”, not the world in general. But then you could take negative, especially if you are very custom to the story of eve eating the apple. Then subconsciously you would gain a negative aspect because of previous knowlege. How ever, another person did make a really good point that his wife just died.It would make sense for him to write something praising women and their beauty, more than blaming “Eve” for sin. Whatever.

  5. William says:

    I am doing a college term paper on this Robert Frost and this poem specifically. I do not believe that anybody here realises that this poem was written after his beloved wife died. Read it again, and see if it takes on another meaning.

  6. Michael says:

    Perhaps what is being said is that since the creation of man, which would be the first human to hear the songs of birds, which he himself would affect as well, unknowingly. However, with the creation of woman, which in turn would alter everything in existence, which shows what impact one person has on everything in their environment. Which then enables Adam, in this case, to notice the impact one person has, since he would be the only one person in existence, to be able to know there was a difference.
    With the creation of Eve, it allows the creation of the first love between man and woman, but also it shows her ability to add beauty to her own environment, through the eyes Adam.

  7. Hill says:

    I think that sometimes, a poem can be taken more literally and keep a greater meaning. By projecting feminist or religious leanings, or trying to make it a love poem about Adam and Eve, you’re just missing out on the beauty of the poem. Relax! The reason Eve came to earth was to add her song to the birds.’ They listened to her in the garden of Eden, and now they sing more beautifully than they could have without her. In other words, she wasn’t put there to commit sin, she was there to “inspire the birds,” as another poster put it. That’s it.

    • Eric says:

      I doubt that “that’s it.” The story of Adam and Eve is itself an allegory, and it follows that any poem that involves their characters is also allegorical.
      If you ask me, you’re the one missing out on the beauty of the poem. But it’s been 17 years since you posted your comment so perhaps your opinion has changed.

  8. Tree says:

    im not quite sure what it means, but im pretty sure it isn’t as lofty a praise of women as you (kirsten) say it is. Frost could just as easily be saying that women get their points through by nagging, i mean he did use “persisted”. “Moreover her voice upon their voices crossed/Had now persisted in the woods so long”.

    As for the whole sin part, i think Frost is trying to say that the sin wasn’t that bad at all, because he only mentions the birds being affected, and says that that was the only reason why she came, not to commit the “unforgivable sin” or whatever. It is satirical in a way because he says (or Adam or whoever) doesn’t think the birds will EVER be the same, but come on. are the birds REALLY that important?

  9. Kirsten says:

    I disagree. I don’t think Frost was being sarcastic. The tone is one of honoring women, perhaps the pagan religions before patriarchal religions became dominant. There is much reference to wildness, to the trees and the garden. There is a suggestion she is an inspiration to nature, that the birds, inspired by her “tone” add it to their repetoire. And he, that being Adam, believes that the birds cannot help but be affected simply by her presence. By her soft eloquent tones. The poem states simply she came to inspire them, the birds, Adam, and hence, mankind. I believe it a poem suggesting that women breathe new life into old forms, whatever they may be.

  10. M. Chase Whittemore says:

    If the last lines means she came to bring joy, i think this poem uses a poor choice of words. And just to make myself clear, i love the word choice.

    The last two lines read,

    “Never again would birds’ song be the same.
    And to do that to birds was why she came.”

    which, takeing in her cause of sin on the earth means that she came to corroupt. (I disagree) I think the poem is saying that she came to awe, which she did. Though she was awed but a snake later on, but what ever, i think this poem is saying “What a work is WOman”, and is it not the truth.

  11. Will says:

    HAH… all you optimists with your positive views on this poem prepare… I think Frost is being sarcastic in this poem. His tone towards Eve is truly negative but he portrays it through sarcasm. He says that the voice of Eve could only be heard by her “call” which signifies lamentation. The “never be the same” refers to the world never being the same because of Eve’s sin. The final line is the most ironic of the poem because it says that this was her purpose, to make the world better, when she really did just the opposite. Thats my opinion anyways…

  12. ryan morrissey says:

    it waz a really good poem but i had to read it a few times to really under stand it but i think i get it now im doing a poem for shcool so i chose this one i hope my class mates enjoy

  13. Sydney says:

    I really enjoyed this poem and how he showed his feelings in rhythm and meter. I was having trouble finding a sonnet I could present in class, but I think I found it!

  14. Sarsah says:

    This poem is about the downfall of man in the Garden of Eden and the effects of human sin on the world.

  15. Sami Chaikin says:

    I enjoyed the creativeness of the rhyme scheme used by Frost. The poem rhymes as if in a song which adds to the affect of conveying the beauty of the birds. The solid repetitive sounds of the poem show how Adam’s love for Eve will be ever long and continue in an unyielding form no matter what happens to them.

  16. Kaci Taylor says:

    I liked this poem very much because it put a smile upon my face. The soft and smooth soudning words that praised Eve, and Adam’s comparison of Eve’s voice to that of a bird’s represented Adam’s true feelings, everlasting love. Their love is the prototype of all love because it was real. The tone of the poem stresses positivity and optimisim of the speaker for Adam and Eve, as well as for the reader.

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