On Looking Up By Chance At The Constellations

You’ll wait a long, long time for anything much
To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud
And the Northern Lights that run like tingling nerves.
The sun and moon get crossed, but they never touch,
Nor strike out fire from each other nor crash out loud.
The planets seem to interfere in their curves
But nothing ever happens, no harm is done.
We may as well go patiently on with our life,
And look elsewhere than to stars and moon and sun
For the shocks and changes we need to keep us sane.
It is true the longest drouth will end in rain,
The longest peace in China will end in strife.
Still it wouldn’t reward the watcher to stay awake
In hopes of seeing the calm of heaven break
On his particular time and personal sight.
That calm seems certainly safe to last to-night.

Analysis, meaning and summary of Robert Frost's poem On Looking Up By Chance At The Constellations

3 Comments

  1. jake h says:

    i like this poem too

  2. Lynn says:

    People always look up to the planets and stars and such as if they’ll see something more than
    just clouds and stars and what is actually visible.
    Heaven is said to be towards the sky, but it’s not like you can see it. He’s saying to not
    waste your time with keeping your head in the clouds, and dwelling on thoughts of
    heaven and the future because there’s simply no point in it. You’ll never be able to see heaven
    or anything beyond, or see into the future, until it’s actually your time to do, or until the future actually becomes present, so why waste time trying to predict the future, or find heaven?
    Live your life for today, and don’t look towards the future, for you have
    a long time to live before you’ll find out what lies beyond death.

  3. Vinnie says:

    I like this poem alot.

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