Dust of Snow

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

How has the poet’s mood changed?

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A “dust of snow” is a small amount of snow, usually just a few flakes. The poet says that the dust of snow has changed his mood from negative to positive. He says that when the “dust of snow” from a crow’s shake landed on him, it made him “glad” and his “sorrow” was banished.

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2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may

help you to think of an answer.

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(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?

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i) Birds that are usually named in poems include doves, nightingales, cuckoo, swans, and crows.

Doves are often associated with peace, love, and hope. For example, in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Juliet says, "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet, so Romeo would, were he not Romeo called, retain that dear perfection which he owes without that title."

Nightingales are often used to represent beauty and sadness. For example, in Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "To a Skylark," Shelley writes, "Hail to thee, blithe spirit! Bird thou never wert, that from Heaven, or near it, pourest thy full heart in profuse strains of unpremeditated art."

Swans are commonly used to represent grace and beauty. For example, in William Butler Yeats' poem "The Wild Swans at Coole," Yeats writes, "The trees are in their autumn beauty, the woodland paths are dry, under the October twilight the water mirrors a still sky."

Finally, crows are often used to symbolize death and darkness. For example, in Robert Frost's poem "Dust of Snow," Frost writes, "The way a crow shook down on me the dust of snow from a hemlock tree."

Crows are often used in poems as a symbol of death and darkness. The poem also reinforces this idea with the use of the hemlock tree, which is a poisonous tree.

Crows are often used in poems to symbolize death and darkness, as they are often associated with the macabre and can be seen as harbingers of bad luck. The poem reinforces this idea with the use of the hemlock tree, a type of poisonous coniferous tree which has been used for centuries to execute criminals and signify death. By using this type of tree, Frost implies that death and sorrow lurk beneath the seemingly mundane moments of life. The juxtaposition of the crow and the hemlock tree represent the contrast between life and death, darkness and light, and sorrow and joy.

Crows are often mentioned in poems as a symbol of death and darkness. The crow has a long history in literature, often being associated with macabre and bad luck. Images that come to mind when thinking of a crow are of a dark, ominous bird with a sharp beak and mysterious black wings. It is often seen as a harbinger of death, and its presence can evoke a feeling of dread and foreboding.

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(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?

ii) Ans. A hemlock tree is a type of coniferous tree that is native to North America. It is often associated with death and the underworld in Greek mythology.

By using this type of tree, Frost implies that death and sorrow lurk beneath the seemingly mundane moments of life.

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(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?

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iii) Ans. The crow and the hemlock tree represent sorrow and death, while the dust of snow represents joy and positivity. The dust of snow that the crow shakes off the hemlock tree symbolizes the transformation from sorrow to joy, from death to life, and from darkness to light.

 

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

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Ans. Yes, I have experienced times when I felt depressed or hopeless. On one particular day, I was feeling especially down and overwhelmed by my circumstances. I was taking a walk in the park when I noticed a small bird perched on a nearby tree. It seemed to be looking directly at me, and I felt a sudden sense of hope and peace. I realized that even in the darkest of times, there is still beauty to be found. That moment changed my mood that day, and I was able to get through the rest of the day with a renewed sense of hope.

The moment with the small bird was a reminder that even when things seem dark and hopeless, there is still beauty to be found. It was a reminder that I am not alone and that there are still things in life to be grateful for. This moment also helped me to realize that I have the strength to pull through difficult times and that no matter what life throws my way, I will be able to overcome it. The moment of hope and peace that I experienced that day gave me a newfound sense of resilience and courage.