It was far in the sameness of the wood;
I was running with joy on the Demon’s trail,
Though I knew what I hunted was no true god.
i was just as the light was beginning to fail
That I suddenly head–all I needed to hear:
It has lasted me many and many a year.

The sound was behind me instead of before,
A sleepy sound, but mocking half,
As one who utterly couldn’t care.
The Demon arose from his wallow to laugh,
Brushing the dirt from his eye as he went;
And well I knew what the Demon meant.

I shall not forget how his laugh rang out.
I felt as a fool to have been so caught,
And checked my steps to make pretense
I was something among the leaves I sought
(Though doubtful whether he stayed to see).
Thereafter I sat me against a tree.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Robert Frost's poem The Demiurge’s Laugh

3 Comments

  1. Emily says:

    That is VERY very interesting, Sunil. I would like to find that out too. I think it does though, or in any way that human expression would, like music, art, individuality.That would be very interesting to find out.

  2. Sunil Kumar says:

    Well, first I’d like to say that I’m from India, a poet by inclination and a journalist by trade for the time being. I believe Robert Frost certainly had a metaphysical edge to his poetry. I am unaware of the history of Robert Frost but I have heard his recitation in JFK’S inaugural address. What I’d like to say is that all poets senses are slightly skewed. This of course is my personal perception. Why a poet creates is a question that we should ask? What is it that makes a poet a poet? Well I don’t know if people in the United States identify with this, but what I believe is that our great president, seer,visionary and poet is also a scientist? So, is there a connection between poetry and science.? If so, we should also identify the neural pathways which lead to this. I believe America is in the forefront of this particular initiative. I would certainly want the fountainhead of Western civilisation to actually research on why any poet was creative and whether poetry actually has practical value.

  3. Michael Summers says:

    I have two things to comment on. First of all, there are two mistakes. First Stanza: “i was just as the light was beginning to fail” should be, “It was just as the light was beginning to fail”, and a mistake in Stanza Three: “I was something among the leaves I sought” should be, “It was something among the leaves I sought”
    The second thing I would like to comment on is that i believe that this poem has a deeper meaning, like with a number of other poems, that is hidden between the lines. It is powerful in terms of language usage and the feeling of how Robert Frost captured what he was thinking!

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