Saturday, August 15, 2009

"Tree At My Window"


It was a year ago this weekend that Robert Frost’s Banjo began—tomorrow is the “official” anniversary. That being the case, the Weekly Poem pretty much had to be by Robert Frost, right?

“Tree At My Window” comes from Frost’s 1928 West-Running Brook, & as I understand it was inspired by a tree on his New Hampshire farm. I’m always fascinated by poetry in which the poet finds his/her internal self echoing in the landscape (& vice-versa), & this poem is a good example of that repetition of internal & external landscapes. Of course, as is typical of Frost, the poem is a very good example of understatement, & also is informed by a wry, if somewhat dark, humor.

Hope you enjoy this—tomorrow, some original music for the actual anniversary; you can pretty much bet the banjo will be involved!

Tree At My Window

Tree at my window, window tree,
My sash is lowered when night comes on;
But let there never be curtain drawn
Between you and me.

Vague dream-head lifted out of the ground,
And thing next most diffuse to cloud,
Not all your light tongues talking aloud
Could be profound.

But tree, I have seen you taken and tossed,
And if you have seen me when I slept,
You have seen me when I was taken and swept
And all but lost.

That day she put our heads together,
Fate had her imagination about her,
Your head so much concerned with outer,
Mine with inner, weather.

Robert Frost

12 comments:

  1. Happy anniversary! I'm so glad you're here with the rest of us in the world o'blog.

    beautiful poem. Thanks!!

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  2. Hi Reya:

    Thanks so much! I've really appreciated your support for this blog.

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  3. Hi John.
    Fine poem
    Very fine blog
    I shall lift a glass of best single malt in honour of your anniversary.

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  4. Happy Anniversary, John! The blog world would be missing something wonderful had you not decided to begin RFB.
    The 3rd verse of Frost's poem is one to which I am keenly attuned.

    Kat

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  5. Hi Kat:

    Thanks! Yes, I've seen you writing about sleep problems. Having had them myself I can sympathize--hope that gets better soon.

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  6. Yup, Happy Anniversary! Fine poem, fine blogger, fine year! And thanks for all your support over the past year.

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  7. happy happy anniversary!!! wonderful frost selection - i haven't read him in far too long - thanks for reminding me/us of his beauty, never far from home...

    have a wonderful day - and thanks so much for your visits to my places and especially for the time and energy in your messages -

    peace - jenean

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  8. Hi Dave & Jenean:

    Thanks for your kind words & all your support!

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  9. Happy anniversay, John, and congratulations on reaching the one-year milestone. Thank you so much for making the blogosphere a nicer place to be.

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  10. Hi Jacqueline:

    & many thanks for those kind words--I certainly enjoy your presence in the blog world as well!

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  11. Tree at My Window is of my favorite poems...
    Our band did a rendition of it...thought you might enjoy it, hope you don't mind me sharing it.
    And BTW, we have an all metal dobro like that "not-banjo" you are holding!
    http://cardboardcannons.bandcamp.com/track/tree-at-my-window

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