Dust of Snow by Robert Frost

Dust of Snow by Robert Frost

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart

 A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

Word-meanings: Rued: felt sorry

Explanation: The poets  tells us that a crow shook down dust of snow on him from the branches of the hemlock tree has changed his mood. It saved his day from being spoilt due to his bad mood.

Extract 1

The way a crow

Shook down on me

The dust of snow

From a hemlock tree

1.  Where was the crow sitting?

Ans. The crow was sitting on a branch of a hemlock tree.

2.  What did the crow do?

Ans. It shook off the dust of snow on the poet.

3.  What is the dust of snow in the third line?

Ans. Very small particles of snow that settle down on any object are called dust of snow..

4.  What does the dust of snow stand for?

Ans. It stands for the poet’s sadness.

5.  Name the poet and the poem.

Ans. Dust of Snow is the poem and Robert Frost is its poet.

Extract 2

Has given my heart

 A change of mood

And saved some part

Of a day I had rued.

Questions:

1.  Name the poet and the poem.

Ans. Dust of Snow is the poem and Robert Frost is its poet.

2.  What was the poet’s mood in the beginning?

Ans. The poet’s mood was of sadness in the beginning.

3.  What changed the mood of the poet?

Ans. Sudden fall of dust of snow on him changed his poet.

4.  What does the poet mean when he says that ‘And saved some part/Of a day’?

Ans. The poet’s mood changed from sadness to happiness. It saved the rest of is day.

5.  Write the synonym of the word ‘rued’.

Ans. regretted

                                  Analysis the Poem

Robert Frost presents nature in a different way in this poem. He has used two symbols in this poem. One is of a crow and the other is of a hemlock tree. The crow is the symbol of bad omen. Its colour is black and its voice is rough and unmusical. So it does not make us happy. Another symbol is that of a tree, Hemlock and it is poisonous.

This poem is about a very small incident. It changes the mood of the poem. The poet seems to tell us how small incidents in our life create big impact. We must not ignore them. We must be aware of every small changes and incidents in our life. The poet may be removing superstition about a crow and a hemlock tree from the reader’s mind. Both the objects are linked with death and fear. But these bring happiness in the poet’s mind.

The poet is sitting under a hemlock tree. It is covered with snow. Suddenly a crow sits on the tree. It makes the dust of snow fall down from the tree. The poet at once comes out of his sad mood. He becomes happy.