DUST OF SNOW_________ROBERT FROST (Class-X, CBSE)
TEXT OF THE POEM
Dust of Snow
By 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.
ABOUT THE POEM::
Dust of Snow is avery short but beautiful poem composed by the famous American poet Robert Frost. The poem discusses how a small, simple moment can have a lasting impact on a person’s mood. In the very beginning of the poem, the poet seems to be in a depressive and sorrowful state of mind. He feels that his complete day has been wasted in regret and gloom. When he stands under a hemlock tree, a crow suddenly shakes down particles of snow on him. The hemlock tree and the crow are traditionally symbolise bad luck, and sorrow.But Frost uses these "negative" symbols to bring about a positive change in his heart. The cold touch of the "dust of snow" is a wake-up call to him. It refreshes his spirit. This tiny incident saves the rest of his day from being ruined by sadness. The final message of the poem is that nature has a healing power and can find solace even in the most gloomy places .
ABOUT THE POET:
The noted American poet Robert Frost (1874–1963) was known for his realistic depictions of rural life. He is famous for using simple, common language to explore deep and complex themes.Most of his poems are set in England, focusing on the relationship between humans and the nature.He won four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry, which is regarded great achievement in literature.His work, like "Dust of Snow," is considered a healer for human emotions.Some of his famous poems include "The Road Not Taken" and "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
SUMMARY:
The poet is in a depressed and sorrowful mood. He feels that his day has been completely wasted in regret. He happens to be standing under a hemlock tree (a poisonous tree ).Suddenly, a crow sitting on the tree shakes down a "dust of snow"— particles of snow falls on the poet. This sudden, cold touch of nature acts as a "wake-up call." for the post.It immediately comes out of negative thoughts and refreshes his spirit.By the end, the poet realizes that even though he had regretted the first half of his day, this tiny incident saved the rest of his day from being wasted in sorrowful mood.He realises that nature has the power to cure a bad mood into positive. Frost uses a crow and a hemlock tree—usually symbols of bad luck or death—to bring about a positive change, showing that joy can even come from gloomy things also.
Dust of snow
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?
Answer: ‘Dust of snow’ refers to the tiny, fine particles or flakes of snow that settle on any objects. In this poem the sudden falling of these snowflakes, shaken down by a crow from a hemlock tree, brought positivity to the poet’s mood. His mood shifted from a state of sadness and regret to that of joy and optimism and made him feel refreshed for the rest of the day.
2. How does Frost present nature in this poem?
Answer: Robert Frost does not present nature in a traditiional way by using symbols associated with sorrow, like the crow (I,e- a bad omen) and the hemlock tree (a poisonous plant). By showing how these "negative" elements made him happy, he suggests that nature has the power to heal and uplift us in its own ways.
(I) -- no need
(ii) - no need
(iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent? What does the dust of snow stand for?
Answer: The symbols like crow and the hemlock tree represent sorrow, depression, and a gloomy state of the poet's mind. The dust of snow stands for natural joy, energy, and a fresh start that recovers the poet’s from regret.
3. No need..
Extra question answers::
1. Who is the poet of "Dust of Snow"?
Answer: Robert Frost.
2. Where was the crow sitting?
Answer: The crow was sitting on a branch of a hemlock tree.
3.What is a hemlock tree?
Answer: It is a poisonous tree with small white flowers.
4.What does the word ‘rued’ mean in the poem?
Answer: It means to feel regret or to have held a day in sorrow.
5.What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
Answer: The rhyme scheme is abab cdcd.
2-Mark Questions (Short Answer)
1.What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer: The central theme is that small, simple moments in nature can have a large significance and can transform a person's mood from negative to positive.
2.Why did the poet use a crow and hemlock tree instead of more ‘beautiful’ symbols?
Answer: The poet chose them to reflect his initial depressive mood. By using these symbols of sorrow to bring about joy, he emphasizes that beauty and positivity can be found in unlikely places.
3.What does the poet mean by saying he "saved some part of a day"?
Answer: Before the incident, the poet felt his entire day was wasted in regret. The falling of the snow changed his spirit, allowing him to use the remaining part of the day productively and happily.
4.How does the poem illustrate the healing power of nature?
Answer: It shows that a simple natural event—like snow falling from a tree—can act as a catalyst for emotional renewal, proving that nature can alleviate despair and promote well-being.
MCQ WITH ANSWERS:
1. Who is the poet of "Dust of Snow"?
A) Robert Frost
B) Leslie Norris
C) Carolyn Wells
D) Robin Klein
2. What was the poet’s mood at the beginning of the poem?
A) Joyful
B) Nervous
C) Depressive/Sad
D) Excited
3. What did the crow shake down on the poet?
A) Dust of water
B) Dust of snow
C) Dust of sand
D) Leaves
4.What type of tree was the crow sitting on?
A) Banyan tree
B) Oak tree
C) Hemlock tree
D) Pine tree.
5.What does a "Hemlock tree" symbolise?
A) Longevity
B) Poison/Sorrow
C) Happiness
D) Growth
6.What was the effect of the "dust of snow" on the poet?
A) It made him angry
B) It changed his mood
C) It made him fall asleep
D) It made him feel sick
7.What does the poet mean when he says he had "rued" the day?
A) Celebrated the day
B) Forgotten the day
C) Held the day in regret
D) Enjoyed the day
8.What is the rhyme scheme of the poem.
A) abba cddc
B) abab cdcd
C) abcb abcb
D) aabb ccdd
9. What does the "Dust of Snow" represent in the poem?
A) Healing power of nature
B) Coming of winter
C) Particles of dirt
D) Death
10.The crow
and the Hemlock tree are generally considered as:
A) Positive symbols
B) Negative symbols
C) Neutral symbols
D) Symbols of wealth.
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