Provide, Provide - A poem by Robert Frost

Robert Frost - Provide, Provide

The witch that came (the withered hag)
To wash the steps with pail and rag,
Was once the beauty Abishag,

The picture pride of Hollywood.
Too many fall from great and good
For you to doubt the likelihood.

Die early and avoid the fate.
Or if predestined to die late,
Make up your mind to die in state.

Make the whole stock exchange your own!
If need be occupy a throne,
Where nobody can call you crone.

Some have relied on what they knew;
Others on simply being true.
What worked for them might work for you.

No memory of having starred
Atones for later disregard,
Or keeps the end from being hard.

Better to go down dignified
With boughten friendship at your side
Than none at all. Provide, provide!

Added: on May 29th, 2009 at 10:59 PM | Viewed: 16295 times | Comments and analysis of Provide, Provide by Robert Frost Comments (12)

Provide, Provide - Comments and Information
Poet: Robert Frost (Robert Frost Art) Poem: Provide, Provide Volume: A Further Range Year: Published/Written in 1936 Comment 12 of 12, added on November 1st, 2009 at 5:08 AM. Response here in ireland, we love this poem and the leprechauns in my backyard loved it too!! cool huh!! no but really this was an excellent poem!! David from Ireland Comment 11 of 12, added on October 12th, 2009 at 10:26 AM. I can witness to the line Frost added, on Paul Sirotta's cassette tape. I heard the added line in 1958 or 1959. Frost spoke at Mount Holyoke College, and what I have remembered vividly from that event is the added line to "Provide, Provide." He paused theatrically after reading the poem itself, and added "Cause if you don't, somebody else will provide for you," That line I'm sure of; I'm not so sure whether he added, "And how will you like that!" I do know I ran back to my room and looked up the poem, because I didn't remember those words in the printed poem. They weren't in the printed poem. I'm glad that they're on cassette, at least. There's a new book (2009) Robert Frost: Speaking on Campus. It's edited by Edward Connery Latham, from transcriptions of tape recordings of Frost's campus appearances. The "provide, provide, or someone else will provide for you" did not make it into the book. It should have. S Peterson from United States Comment 10 of 12, added on May 29th, 2009 at 10:59 PM. Readers might be interested in knowing that in his own reading of this poem on a cassette tape I possess, he added a last line to this: "Provide, provide, or someone else will provide for you! I kid you not. Paul Sirotta from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Provide, Provide, has received 12 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: Provide, Provide Volume: A Further Range Year: Published/Written in 1936 Last read: Nov 7 2009, 3:55PM Viewed 16295 times. Added on May 29th, 2009 at 10:59 PM.

Frost Info
Biography More Poems (180 poems) Books