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![Snow](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_e6a0407b7dd3475f8e512136117a9a62~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_654,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/11062b_e6a0407b7dd3475f8e512136117a9a62~mv2.jpg)
Dust of Snow
About the poet
Robert Frost was an iconic American poet most known for his depictions of rural life in New England. Born on March 26, 1874 in San Francisco, Frost left school at the age of 11 to help support his family after his father's death. Frost's first book of poetry, A Boy's Will, was published in 1913. He went on to publish five more volumes of poetry during his lifetime, including North of Boston, Mountain Interval, and West-Running Brook. He won four Pulitzer Prizes, and his poems are included in the curriculums of schools around the world. Frost was awarded an honorary degree from Harvard University in 1937 and his work has been recognized by the Library of Congress. Frost passed away in Boston on January 29, 1963. He is remembered for his use of rural landscapes, dialogue, and symbolism to explore themes of nature, mortality, and loss.
![Robert Frost](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fabefb_b9bf4a3d23d9465685c3d80aee6809fe~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_422,h_544,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Robert_Frost_NYWTS_4.jpg)
Dust of Snow
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.
![Robert Frost](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fabefb_7ba1bbe364e44fd1a24b2a1312c42f6e~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_439,h_439,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/1%20(6).jpg)
Dust of Snow was written by Robert Frost in 1923 and was first published in his collection, New Hampshire.
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Summary
Dust of Snow by Robert Frost is a poem about the power of nature to bring about a change of mood in the speaker. The speaker describes how a crow shaking down the dust of snow from a hemlock tree has transformed their outlook on the day and saved them from a gloomy mood. The poem conveys a sense of optimism and joy in the beauty and power of nature.
Dust of Snow by Robert Frost is a short but powerful poem that captures the beauty and power of nature to bring joy and optimism in difficult times. The poem begins with the image of a crow shaking down the dust of snow from a hemlock tree. This simple act has a profound effect on the speaker, as it changes their outlook on the day and saves them from a gloomy mood. The speaker is filled with gratitude for the beauty of nature and its ability to bring a sense of hope and joy into their life.
The poem conveys a powerful message about the power of nature to bring about positive change in our lives. In just a few lines, Frost captures the incredible beauty of nature and its ability to uplift us, even in times of sorrow and despair. The poem reminds us to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the natural world and to find solace in its power to bring joy and optimism into our lives.
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Thinking about the poem
1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood?
How has the poet’s mood changed?
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.
2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may
help you to think of an answer.
(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?
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.
(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.
(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?
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?
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.
![Image by Joe Wong](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_35dd3e360e6a406eab7138580de7293f~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_653,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/nsplsh_35dd3e360e6a406eab7138580de7293f~mv2.jpg)
EXTRA QUESTION AND ANSWERS:
Q1. What is the poem “Dust of Snow” about?
A1. The poem “Dust of Snow” is about how a small gesture, such as a crow shaking snow off a hemlock tree, can have a profound effect on a person’s mood.
Q2. What does the “dust of snow” represent in the poem?
A2. The “dust of snow” represents joy and positivity, as it symbolizes the transformation from sorrow to joy and from death to life.
Q3. Who is the speaker in “Dust of Snow”?
A3. The speaker of “Dust of Snow” is a poet.
Q4. What is the mood of the poem?
A4. The mood of the poem is one of transformation. The poem begins with the speaker feeling sorrow, but ends with him feeling glad after the dust of snow falls on him.
Q5. What type of tree is mentioned in the poem?
A5. The poem mentions a hemlock tree.
Q6. What is the effect of the dust of snow on the speaker?
A6. The effect of the dust of snow on the speaker is that it transforms his mood from negative to positive.
Q7. How does the poet present nature in the poem?
A7. The poet presents nature in the poem as a source of transformation, as the dust of snow from a crow’s shake off a hemlock tree symbolizes the transformation from sorrow to joy, from death to life, and from darkness to light.
Q8. Who shakes the dust of snow off the hemlock tree?
A8. A crow shakes the dust of snow off the hemlock tree.
Q9. What does the hemlock tree represent?
A9. The hemlock tree represents death and sorrow, as it is a type of poisonous coniferous tree which has been used for centuries to execute criminals and signify death.
Q10. What does the dust of snow that the crow shakes off the hemlock tree stand for?
A10. 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.
![Robert Frost is under hemlock tree.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/fabefb_1c263eecd5c040c39482896d2fca7437~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_403,h_403,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/fabefb_1c263eecd5c040c39482896d2fca7437~mv2.jpg)