Robert Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963 / San Francisco)

I love this poem, especially the last lines.

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

.......................Man has a lot to do before getting attracted to anything.

Like all great art, this poem communicates on many levels. It paints a picture of the peaceful warmth of snowy woods on a quiet evening that conjurs up many memories of similar times and places. Is it meant to inspire one to create and face new challenges in life after you get to a peaceful place. Or, is he telling us that our worldly endeavors keep us achieving inner peace? A lot of his poetry is about choices, is he forced to make a choice between what he wants to do and what he thinks he should do? Most strikingly, it attempts to answer the age old question, 'If you believe in heaven, why not die? '

I think he feels lonely and sad.
feathered snow on winter night makes one morose.
man is too timid and dirt in that pure and silent world.

Possibly, the narrator was drawn to stay in those woods that night. His stopping there was so out of character that his horse was uneasy, perhaps sensing that something was not right. How comfortable it would be to stay here, no more responsibilties or cares, in these woods that are 'lovely, dark, and deep.'

Perhaps he then realized he had obligations, 'promises to keep, ' and many things to do before he could sleep. 'Sleep' here perhaps being an allegory for death.

If I may be so bold as to suggest to the Frost reader my dark satire version:

Stopping In The Woods On A Snowy Evening (or, The Road I Should Not Have Taken)
by Charles Audette
Any comments or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Starts with delight and ends in wisdom.
A classic poem.

I have been a poetry afficionado all my life, but Robert Frost's poems have always struck a chord with me, especially this one. Every winter, I ride past the woods near my house and just sit there and think of this, even though I know it's meaning is much deeper. I want it read at my funeral.

The Poem which inspired me to read poems. I remember of my good old school days when I read this. I can never forget the last stanza

'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. '

Thats simply amazing.....

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'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. '
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Since my school days these lines have repeatedly lingered in my mind reminding me of my obligations to be fulfilled.This poem has been there in my all time favourites.
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Life would be wonderous if we could take our time with the finer things in life. Brilliant poem sir Frost