New Enlarged Anthology of Robert Frost's Poems

by Robert Frost

Collection of work by the premier American poet of the 20th Century. Includes related illustrations by John O'Hara Cosgrave II.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Fiction, Literature, Own, American

279 pages

First published May 1, 1946

About the author

Flinty, moody, plainspoken and deep, Robert Frost was one of America's most popular 20th-century poets. Frost was farming in Derry, New Hampshire when, at the age of 38, he sold the farm, uprooted his family and moved to England, where he devoted himself to his poetry. His first two books of verse, A Boy's Will (1913) and North of Boston (1914), were immediate successes. In 1915 he returned to the United States and continued to write while living in New Hampshire and then Vermont. His pastoral images of apple trees and stone fences -- along with his solitary, man-of-few-words poetic voice -- helped define the modern image of rural New England. Frost's poems include "Mending Wall" ("Good fences make good neighbors"), "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" ("Whose woods these are I think I know"), and perhaps his most famous work, "The Road Not Taken" ("Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-- / I took the one less traveled by"). Frost was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for poetry four times: in 1924, 1931, 1937 and 1943. He also served as "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress" from 1958-59; that position was renamed as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry (or simply Poet Laureate) in 1986.

Frost recited his poem "The Gift Outright" at the 1961 inauguration of John F. Kennedy... Frost attended both Dartmouth College and Harvard, but did not graduate from either school... Frost preferred traditional rhyme and meter in poetry; his famous dismissal of free verse was, "I'd just as soon play tennis with the net down."

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

As I read more poetry, I'm starting to appreciate how little I appreciate it -- or at least the narrative form. I don't understand the point of narrative poetry. Why not just write a story? The point of these "verses" would make more sense in paragraphs.
As far as I can tell (granted, I only lasted 61 pages) "The Road Not Taken" is the only one of his poems in this book I think I would like. Maybe I'll try this again some other time in my life where I have a higher tolerance for boredom.
Apologies to my GR friend Jim -- I'm sorry this isn't more insightful!

[Chris Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I once heard Ray Bradbury say that everyone should read a poem, everyday. I agree. This is a good book to start with.

[Claxton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good gravy. I will never exhaust Frost. I've read his complete works, I've read several collections like these, and I've read him in every anthology I've ever read. Still, I never cease to be amazed by how some poem of his I *think* I've read before finally sets in, and I start to get it in some new way that feels like it should have been obvious from the start. For me, only the Bible is more stunning in this regard (I don't mean that Frost is in any way on the same level as the Spirit-breathed Word of God, but the Word is the first thing that springs to mind in this "quickening impulse" way of seeing).

Untermeyer's comments are helpful & interesting. Wow. Now back to page 1, or another collection of Frost...

[tomas p · Rating 5 out of 5]

holymoly

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of 117 poems, I only liked 32, and another 37 or so I half-liked. I don't agree with all of Frost's views, or like the subject of all of his poems, but I like the style of many of his poems. He is creative with the everyday things, using a unique placement of common words to spark inquiry and smiles.

The added notes surrounding the poems were sometimes helpful for slow-brained me, but at other times perhaps distracted from the beauty and/or true meaning.

[Carma · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection took me some time to read, because I started slowly digesting a lot of Frost's works. I utilized this text as sort of a road map, in that I hope to improve my own poetry so I've been working on studying some of the greats. This collection was a lot at times, and sometimes I needed to put the book down. The annotations and notes were not always helpful, but overall the collection of poetry is a classic that I enjoyed thoroughly.

[Marc Esposito · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some gems in parts of this book, but didn’t like how much the author glorified Frost. Distracted me from deciding myself if I thought he and his work are great. Also didn’t like looking at the cover sitting on my counter in the bathroom or side of bed:)

[Beverley Sylvester · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection contains some lovely poems and a few truly great ones. It also contains many that did not speak to me.

I feel there is too much commentary. While I appreciate the facts that Untermeyer includes, I feel that he gives too many of his opinions (to a tiresome degree).

[Nate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soothing rhythms, relaxing. Occasionally quite dark. Technically perfect, not too abstract, enjoyable at any level.

[Emma]

Putting this on hold because I have other books I want to read. I might not ever come back to it honestly, wasn't enjoying it very much.

[Peacejanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My copy of this book is so old that it does not have an ISBN number. It was published in 1946. I must have purchased it when I was first in college in 1961. It is an old paperback and, while I have gone back to it now and then to find a specific poem, I recently read it completely again, carefully. I wish all my poetry books came with discussion from Louis Untermeyer or someone like him. I loved Frost's poetry even before he became the first poet ever to write and read a poem for a US Presidential inauguration, John F. Kennedy's in 1961. Not only did Louis Untermeyer edit the book, he wrote teaching information that is invaluable. He discusses themes of Frost, patterns of his poems, and, at times, groups them together to compare and contrast. He also acknowledges the various criticisms of Frost's work. This book is a real education now for me. I know that I did not understand or internalize as much in 1961 as I did this time. Thank goodness for saving old books. Rereading this book encouraged me to look to other older poetry books that I own and put them by my bed to reread. Untermeyer was a great scholar and I am amazed that I still have his words to educate me. Wonderful poetry, wonderful analysis.

[ANDREW · Rating 5 out of 5]

“It takes all kinds of in and outdoor schooling to get adapted to my kind of fooling”. And so it goes in this beautiful collection of Frost’s poems that dutifully encapsulates his whole career. I thoroughly enjoyed spending the last year poring over these poems. Hardy New Englander through and through, Frost can go from whimsical to dark without missing a beat, a “paradox of persiflage and profundity”. The commentary throughout the collection from Louis Untermeyer ads an essential element. While I know a poem’s meaning should usually be left up to the reader, I found the notes to be enlightening without ever trying to give away the plot. I always had an admiration for Frost, but I never took a deep dive into his works. Doing so has shown me why he is one of America’s eternal poet laureates. Can’t wait to revisit the poems in this collection while seeking out others.

[Marcus · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I understand Louis Untermeyer’s commentary throughout may be a bit distracting and would have preferred it be offered at the beginning of each chapter, I have lately come to appreciate the close literary friendship the two of them had throughout the years and the role that he had in helping to get Frost’s works published. If you are interested in learning more, there is a book of letters Frost wrote to Untermeyer that has been published and some biographical text that provide insight into Frost’s character.

[bepassersby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Highlights were: The Pasture, The Tuft of Flowers, Mending Wall, Hyla Brook, A Time to Talk, In a Disused Graveyard, The Birthplace, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, A Minor Bird, Waspish, Departmental, The Cow in Apple Time, The Road Not Taken, Nothing Gold Can Stay, Dust of Snow, Fire and Ice, A Considerable Speck, and Good-Bye and Keep Cold.

We love the things we love for what they are.

[Zee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great anthology for getting into Frost. I hadn't read him much before so it was great for seeing what he's all about. Unfortunately, I wasn't impressed with Frost himself that much. A lot of his poems seem very... amateur. I'm ehh about it, but I'm glad I read this book to find out I'm ehh.

[Mike Gottschalk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Favorite poems
--The Tuft of Flowers
--The Fear
--Snow
--Birches
--Mending Wall
--To the Thawing Wind
--Two Tramps in Mud Time
--The Investment
--To a Young Wretch
--The Census-Taker
--For Once, Then, Something
--Tree at My Window
--Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
--The Cow in Apple Time
--The Road Not Taken
--Dust of Snow
--A Servant to Servants

[Isabella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found this 1962 edition with a newspaper clipping tucked in from the day Frost died in January 1963. Have started every morning for the past two months with a few of his poems and it has been lovely.

From the end of the last poem in the book, “Away!”:

Unless I’m wrong
I but obey
The urge of a song:
I’m—bound—away!

And I may return
If dissatisfied
With what I learn
From having died.

[Amy the book-bat · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of the classics we read in school were in this collection as well as a lot I hadn't read before. I managed to piece together a good bit of it through various audiobooks. Some of the poems were as great as I remembered and some I just didn't care for. I guess that happens with any type of anthology though.

[Michael Tenerowicz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackson Pollack, Georgia O'keefe, Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol... Babe Ruth, Jesse Owens, Babe Didrikson, Arnold Palmer... Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen, Hank Williams, Louis Armstrong... Paul Newman, Ruth Gordon, Alfred Hitchcock, Tom Hanks... Samuel Clemens, Harper Lee, Edgar Allan Poe, and... Robert Frost. All American Classics.

[Showzen Showzen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introductions, also my first read book of poetry. I'm not entirely sure poetry is timeless, at least some these poems which deal with professions long gone.
Frost's poems are mostly about observing nature, which is great but not really my bag. I preferred his poems about people and animals (insects especially) the most.

[Sara Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Mom gave me this book for Christmas in 1977. It traveled with me to Africa and around the USA, but I had never read it all the way through. I would read a poem in isolation and hadn't paid attention to the commentary. I am glad I have finally read it all the way through! The commentary gave meaningful insight to the poems.

[Jane Marga · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll get back to this -- always.

[Alyssa Duhe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t read a lot of poetry so the format of this book was perfect for me.

[Bethany Winn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I couldn't finish it. I want to love it but I just can't read a dead cis/het white guy, even if his poems may be lovely. Maybe at another time in life, but not now.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The flavor text around the poems was unnecessary.

[Tyler Phelps · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was tattered and worn when I chose it. Dare I say, a book thoroughly read. A book well taken. Sorry, Robert.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since my hallmark calendar is telling me it's "Great Poetry Reading Day" I decided it was finally time to finish this book. I've mostly been reading it during the occasional lunch break over the last few months, which is why it's taken me this long to get through it all.
We got the book second-hand from someone in Traci's book group who was clearing off a shelf at their house, and it's in pretty bad shape; over 3/4 of the book has come unattached from the spine and there are lots of loose pages, but it held together well enough for me to read. And even though I knew the book wasn't going to hold together for much longer, I couldn't help dog-earing the pages of the poems I loved.
I've only really read Frost in anthologies during english class poetry units - you know, the standards - so I was excited to read this collection, to read some of his less well-known poems. They were great, of course. This collection grouped them into themes. I think I liked the latter half of the book, which has more of the poems about animals and places, better than the first, which were more of the conversational people poems. At any rate, I liked the poems a lot. I left the book in the car or else I'd list some of the ones I liked best.
One of the things that surprised me was the extensive use of rhyme - and not always in typical rhyme patterns - at least not the ones that I knew - but just three lines in a row would rhyme, and then a couple would have a different rhyme, and it just seemed random. I knew Frost had a reputation for being a stickler about form, but I thought his poems still felt very free and unconstrained.
I mostly skimmed the editor's notes, though I appreciated the biographical notes at the beginning. Apparently, though he'd had a promising start, his first book of poems wasn't published until he was 40. Overall, reading the book was a great experience. It's too bad I probably won't be able to repeat it with this beat-up copy. :)

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always thought of THE ROAD NOT TAKEN as my favorite poem but I knew little about Robert Frost the man or the rest of his poetry. This book not only discussed his poetry but offered a bit of background about the poet, his life and his death. It managed to show he was much more of a dark poet than I had come to realize. I enjoyed getting to know Robert Frost through his poems in this Anthology particularly some of his darker works like THE WITCH OF COOS and DEATH OF A HIRED MAN. My favorite line came from HYLA'S BROOK:

"We love the things we love for what they are."

The phase is lovely and true.

[Ned Hanlon · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be difficult to overstate how beautiful much of Frost's writing is. I had always though of him as a yearbook quote generator but he is so much more than that! He is full of wisdom but it is not just solemn and portentous - it can be joyful, coy, despairing, self-effacing and even flirtatious. Their is so much variety within poetic types as well: I particularly enjoyed (an was surprised by) the free verse dialogues such as The Death of the Hired Man.

This particular collection is nice enough. Untermeyer gives nice thoughts on the poems as they go along but never "spoils" the poem or gets in Frost's way.

[Angie (Bussen) Siedell · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to give a star rating to each poem individually, some would rate much higher. I really enjoy Frost's poems, but find his short stories, including mundane conversations between old, married couples fretting over every day life, a bit dull. Perhaps I'd have enjoyed it more if read one at a time, rather than the entire book. I believe that's true of almost any poetry book. Each piece should be enjoyed individually, not back to back.