Tuesday, September 1, 2015

The Poetry of Robert Frost

A short while ago, I do not recall when, I heard some lines from Robert Frost's poem "Stopping By Woods on A Snow Evening" http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171621.   I do not remember the context I heard these lines, but I recall thinking that the context was a little incongruent with Frost's poem. I do know it was a commercial venture of some sort.

Tonight, I heard another Robert Frost poem "The Road Not Taken"  http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173536.  I paid attention this time. Two Robert Frost poems used for incongruent commercial advertising.  The advertisement using the "The Road Not Taken" was a gloom and doom, doomsday type movie advertisement.  Way out of context for Robert Frost.

So, what is it about Robert Frost's poetry that all of a sudden has made it so popular. And so badly used?

I am a traditionalist when it comes to poetry. I want it used in the context it was meant. Which, if you read Robert Frost, his poems are bucolic and idyllic.  Not the commercial, violent context as portrayed tonight. How does this happen?

And yet, would he say that maybe his words can be used to challenge?




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