Wednesday, May 30, 2007

“FIRE and ICE” …by Robert Frost, (1874 - 1963)


"Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say in ice.

From what I’ve tasted of desire,

I hold with those who favor fire,

But, if I had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.”

I’ve always been moved by this poem and doesn’t it seem to be particularly evocative of our world today?

I understand this as Robert Frost telling us that too much of anything is a bad thing. Desire left unchecked becomes fire and can consume us quickly. Hate, on the other hand, is a much slower killer. It turns us into unfeeling human beings with hearts of ice and we can look forward to death by freezing.

The greed and the lust for power and superiority that we are experiencing in today’s world is exactly what I feel when I read these lines. It seems to be telling me that we’d better learn to live with one another and to share our lives and our resources or we are doomed to pay the consequences.

War...famine...fire or ice ? It matters little...they all suffice.



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9 Comments:

Blogger KGMom said...

What I have always admired in Frost's poetry is that his work seems so effortless, yet if you look at a rough draft in his writing, you see how he worked to craft the lines.
This is one I have taught, and I like it also. Plus it is easy to memorize!

6:46 AM  
Blogger Pam said...

I like this one, too, and agree with your interpretation.

7:00 AM  
Blogger Anvilcloud said...

I like your explanation. I'd be too dumb to think of that.

8:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Excellent poem and excellent thoughts about it.
And all so very true...unfortunately. At least once a day, I question, "What IS the world coming to?"

1:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like Robert Frost a lot but didn't know this particular poem. Thanks

3:30 PM  
Blogger kenju said...

I have always liked nearly everything Frost wrote, and this is not exception. The same sentiment was taught to us a long, long time ago, but we don't seem to be learning it, do we?

9:22 PM  
Blogger Cazzie!!! said...

Such a well written and thought provoking post!! I re-read this a few times and it is sooo true!!

4:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

7:05 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Great Place!

11:00 AM  

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