She is as in a field a silken tent
At midday when the sunny summer breeze
Has dried the dew and all its ropes relent,
So that in guys it gently sways at ease,
And its supporting central cedar pole,
That is its pinnacle to heavenward
And signifies the sureness of the soul,
Seems to owe naught to any single cord,
But strictly held by none, is loosely bound
By countless silken ties of love and thought
To everything on earth the compass round,
And only by one’s going slightly taut
In the capriciousness of summer air
Is of the slightest bondage made aware.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Robert Frost's poem The Silken Tent

23 Comments

  1. Doc Ames says:

    Good Grief! Leave it alone.
    The poem speaks for itself.
    Most of these comments are absurd!

  2. Ce Marsh Hall says:

    The metaphor here is a comparison of a woman to a spider web — many shared characteristics, some shared communication skills, some shared results.

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