Robert Frost Robert Frost 1874 1963 Robert Frost

Robert Frost

Robert Frost (1874 -1963) Robert Frost began writing poetry as a high school student in New England. However, he wasn’t recognized as a major poet until his book of poetry, North of Boston, became a best seller.

Robert Frost married Elinor White and had two children. Frost published many poems in his lifetime. Some of them are: The Road not Taken, The Raft of Flowers, The Pasture, and others. Robert also won four Pulitzer awards.

Robert Frost Fact: Robert Frost spoke at a Presidential inauguration.

Stop and Think Which Presidential inauguration did Robert Frost speak at?

Stop and Think Clue: The year was 1961 35 th President

Answer John F. Kennedy

Robert Frost After the applause, Kennedy welcomed to the podium one of America's great poets, fellow New Englander Robert Frost had written a poem for the occasion called "Dedication. " He approached the microphone, but blinded by the sun's glare on the snow-covered Capitol grounds, he was unable to read it. Thinking quickly, he instead recited "The Gift Outright, " a poem he had written in 1942.

Robert Frost ~ The Gift Outright ~ The land was ours before we were the land's. She was our land more than a hundred years Before we were her people. She was ours In Massachusetts, in Virginia. But we were England's, still colonials, Possessing what we still were unpossessed by, Possessed by what we now no more possessed. Something we were withholding made us weak. Until we found out that it was ourselves We were withholding from our land of living, And forthwith found salvation in surrender. Such as we were we gave ourselves outright (The deed of gift was many deeds of war) To the land vaguely realizing westward, But still unstoried, artless, unenhanced, Such as she was, such as she would become.

Robert Frost The poem moved many people. Ask your grandparents if they heard Kennedy and Frost speak on that day in 1961. You can look at the original handwritten manuscripts here at the Library of Congress.

Robert Frost John F. Kennedy said: "I asked Robert Frost to come and speak at the Inauguration because I felt he had something important to say to those of us who are occupied with the business of government; that he would remind us that we are dealing with life, the hopes and fears of millions of people. He has said it well in a poem called "Choose Something Like a Star" in which he speaks of the fairest star in sight and says,

Robert Frost Choose Something Like a Star O Star (the fairest one in sight), We grant your loftiness the right To some obscurity of cloud. It will not do to say of night, Since dark is what brings out your light. Some mystery becomes the proud. But to be wholly taciturn In your reserve is not allowed. Say something to us we can learn By heart and when alone repeat. Say something! And it says "I burn. " But say with what degree of heat. Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.

Robert Frost Use language we can comprehend. Tell us what elements you blend. It gives us strangely little aid, But does tell something in the end. And steadfast as Keats' Eremite, Not even stooping from its sphere, It asks a little of us here. It asks of us a certain height, To when at times the mob is swayed To carry praise or blame too far, We may choose something like a star To stay our minds on and be staid.

Robert Frost

Questions 1. Describe the weather in the poem? *snowing lightly 2. Why did they stop? *To watch the snow. 3. What sounds could you hear? *harness bells; sounds of the wind

Robert Frost Neither Out Far Nor In Deep The people along the sand All turn and look one way They turn their back on the land. They look at the sea all day. As long as it takes to pass A ship keeps raising its hull; The wetter ground like glass Reflects a standing gull The land may vary more; But wherever the truth may be— The water comes ashore, And the people look at the sea. They cannot look out far. They cannot look in deep. But when was that ever a bar

Robert Frost

Questions 1. Describe both the roads that the author finds? *One is grassy and wanted wear, the other was overgrown. 2. Which road does the speaker choose? * The grassy road, the one less traveled. 3. Which road would you choose? Why?

Robert Frost died on January 29, 1963 of a heart attack. He was 89 years old.

"I am not a teacher, but an awakener" -Robert Frost What does this phrase mean?