On Looking Up by Chance at the Constellations
POETRY FORMAT, 13 Jun 2022
Robert Frost – TRANSCEND Media Service
You’ll wait a long, long time for anything much
To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud
And the Northern Lights that run like tingling nerves.
The sun and moon get crossed, but they never touch,
Nor strike out fire from each other nor crash out loud.
The planets seem to interfere in their curves —
But nothing ever happens, no harm is done.
We may as well go patiently on with our life,
And look elsewhere than to stars and moon and sun
For the shocks and changes we need to keep us sane.
It is true the longest drought will end in rain,
The longest peace in China will end in strife.
Still it wouldn’t reward the watcher to stay awake
In hopes of seeing the calm of heaven break
On his particular time and personal sight.
That calm seems certainly safe to last to-night.
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Robert Lee Frost (26 Mar 1874 – 29 Jan 1963) was a U.S. poet much admired for his depictions of the rural life of New England, his command of U.S. colloquial speech, and his realistic verses portraying ordinary people in everyday situations.
Tags: Poetry
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 13 Jun 2022.
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A fine contrast here between the human world of daily, minute changes and challenges and the cosmic, seemingly unperturbable grand scheme of things. Frost, as he so often does, advises us here to take the better, deeper view of our momentary stay on our little planet; to balance the cosmic with the human and humane….
Not only is the message poignant and profound, but Frost has wrapped his gift with his usual metrical and rhyming skills. He’s not preaching, just noting. It is altogether worth our while to take note, too….