Class 10 || English P || Ch. 01.1 Dust of Snow

1.1 Dust of Snow

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.

Glossary:

hemlock: A poisonous plant (tree) with small white flowers

rued: held in regret

Thinking about the poem:

This poem presents a moment that seems simple, but has a larger significance.

[Compare this other quotation from Robert Frost: “Always, always a larger significance... A little thing touches a larger thing.”)

1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?

2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following Q.s may help you to think of an Ans..

(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a crow?

(ii) Again, what is “a hemlock tree”? Why doesn’t the poet write about a more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?

(iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent — joy or sorrow? What does the dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?

3. Have there been times when you felt depressed or hopeless? Have you experienced a similar moment that changed your mood that day?

Q. 1: What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed? Ans.: The snow falls like cotton flakes and settles on trees. When fresh it is having a powdery consistency. The dust of snow falls on the poet as a crow shakes the branch. This pleasant snow shower changes the poet’s mood. Poet was feeling negative because of some reasons and after the snow dust he is feeling happier. Q. 2: How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following Q.s may help you to think of an Ans.. Ans.: The poet Robert Frost explains a vivid picture of the nature. For him a crow is playful creature hopping from one branch to another. The hemlock tree is a poisonous plant with small white flowers. This explains the coexistence of diverse moods in nature. The poet’s initial mood can be compared to that of a hemlock tree, and the later mood is like that of a flower. Snowflakes are explained as something which should be enjoyed. Moreover, the contrast of black crow with white snow is also mirroring the bad and the good mood of the poet. Although, the poet has mentioned just three things; but with the limited number of things and limited number of lines; he has explained a pleasant passing memory of a day to day life.

Q1) What does Robert Frost want to convey though the poem ‘Dust of snow’? Ans1) Life presents before us both sorrow and happiness. We should not surrender to difficulties. The poet is depressed due to shaking down of snow by a crow but he saves rest part of the day and hope for betterment. Q2) How has the poet observed ‘nature’ in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’? Ans2)The whole poem is set in a natural landscape. A crow shakes down the dust of snow on him from a hemlock tree. Hence a crow, the hemlock tree and the snow are the representatives of the nature. Q3) When the dust of Snow was shaken down on him, how does Robert Frost feel? Ans3) A crow shakes down the dust of snow on him from a hemlock tree. The crow and the hemlock tree both are considered as ominous in nature. So, the poet is quite depressed.