Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
~Robert Frost
circa 1923
American Poet
With a
Google search, the meaning of the repeated lines "...and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep" is:
Search for: What is the message of Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening?
What is the meaning of and miles to go before I sleep?
Origin of Miles to Go Before I Sleep
The speaker says, “But I have promises to keep, / And miles to go before I sleep, / And miles to go before I sleep.” The poet intends this phrase to have literal meanings, by stating that the speaker is traveling, and needs to cover some distance before getting back home. Another analytic synopsis goes "The lonely journey of the poet or rider might symbolize the journey of an individual through life."
I tend to think of it in my own personal thoughts; realm. Yes, it's about a traveler [maybe just a loner], and the 'abandoned' woods on a winter's night. I've always thought that this subject is me, traveling alone at a time in life that I sit back and reflect what I've accomplished in my time given, and where I am headed. At the twilight days of old age [or perhaps dying young] I would ponder the promises. For instance, my 'miles to go before I sleep' is my permanent 'sleep'. The miles to go BEFORE I sleep is the days/years of my life yet to be lived out. So, interpretations differ a bit...that's what poetry is all about. I do agree with other analysts that this is a story of a single person [not necessarily unwed, but as an individual], a life lived in solitary means at the time of his/her journey.
Anyway, when I am alone, walking in heavily wooded, quiet surroundings, the poem Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening, always comes to mind and I silently recite it as I walk. I have it memorized. It's a favorite of mine.
All the cellphone photos shared today are from my day trippin' to Refugio, Texas and stopping by the woods. I traveled through heavy fog and darkness to arrive...a scary trip at times with swarms of traffic on the interstate, not slowing down one iota in the inclement weather pattern. The fog was lifting at daybreak only to finish my trek with clear blue skies and sunshine. I have more photos [a lot more] so this will more likely be a three part posting...more to come later!
