Have you read Desert Places by Robert Frost? It has quickly become one of my favorites. I hope you will enjoy it too!
Paul recently reminded me that we would never fully move into our house if we never unpack boxes. I decided to begin this unpacking process with a box of books. I regret that I did not end up emptying the box, nor did I put the books on a shelf (but I opened one, so that is a start, right?). Instead, I found my copy of The Poetry of Robert Frost. I fell in love with his poetry once again. My understanding and ability to relate to the poems are greater than before.
Desert Places by Robert Frost
Snow falling and night falling fast, oh fast
In a field I looked into going past,
And the ground almost covered smooth in snow,
But a few weeds and stubble showing last.
The woods around it have it – it is theirs.
All animals are smothered in their lairs.
I am too absent-spirited to count;
The loneliness includes me unawares.
And lonely as it is, that loneliness
Will be more lonely ere it will be less –
A blanker whiteness of benighted snow
With no expression, nothing to express.
They cannot scare me with their empty spaces
Between stars – on stars where no human race is.
I have it in me so much nearer home
To scare myself with my own desert places.
Understanding Desert Places
There is a very real loneliness that I have tried to view as a friend of mine over the last year. I admit I had not read the complete collection of Robert Frost's poetry, nor this specific poem previously. Nonetheless, this poem has quickly become one of my favorites, as it touches on the genuine loneliness that is not only prevalent in the desert inside and surrounding me but has also run rampant through our world in the last year and a half.
In the poem, it is snowing. The fast-falling snow seems to amplify the emptiness of the world around the poet. The way he describes the snow as smothering the animals implies that the snow is harming them – pushing them down and keeping them in the dark and unescapable place inside their lairs. The poet explains that he, himself, is "absent-spirited" and overwhelmed with loneliness, which is not surprising, considering the dark thoughts and emotions he feels toward the snow. He stops to contemplate his feelings and ultimately concludes that he is not afraid of the loneliness in the world surrounding him because he has a far greater fear of the emptiness in the "desert places" inside himself.
The desert is a harsh and challenging place. The summers are scorching, the winters are freezing, and the wind is destructive. The aggressive nature of, well, nature can drive the most upbeat and optimistic person to dark, questioning emotions. This poem validates these feelings. It helps the loneliest person to feel less alone.
"I have it in me so much nearer home To scare myself with my own desert places."
Perhaps, a little understanding and validation are all we need while we are in our own desert places, searching for hope to get through to better days. I am thankful for this unique poem finding its way out of that box and into my heart.
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