Today is a good day. Well, today was a good day; the day has eased into night and I am in winding down mode as I often am when I sit down to write this blog. I am grateful for many things this evening, but find myself at least momentarily at a loss for words as to how to express my gratitude. Over the next few days when I catch my breath better I hope to be able to write more fully and openly. In the meantime, just simple gratitude for a good day and a calm evening.
I am once again grateful tonight for poetry. I was about to write here about all that I have to get done in the next few weeks and the words, “miles to go before I sleep” came back into my head. It’s an oft repeated theme for me these days when my to-d0 list remains long even on those days when I’ve worked all day to whittle it down. So much to do, and miles to go before I sleep. So I looked up the phrase, knowing that it came from somewhere in the literary world. And found it in the poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost.
Whose woods these are I think I know.His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
It is a simple poem on the surface, though I read a few analyses of it that ascribed deep significance to various parts of it. It made me smile. People analyze everything, ascribe meanings to words, to works of art, to gestures, facial expressions, to everything. My purpose is not to engage in literary analysis of Frost’s work. I simply want to enjoy the poem without delving too deeply into its meanings and metaphors. I resonate with the last verse, particularly in these days when I have a lot of work to do to get ready to move. The woods, the path around Chavez park is calling to me; but I have things to do, promises to keep, and miles to go…
I am grateful once again for the written and spoken word, for the imagery it creates and emotions and thoughts that poetry and prose, fiction and nonfiction, speeches and sermons, song lyrics and all the various expressions of thoughts and ideas that emerge. As a writer and songwriter I enjoy both employing creative uses of words as well as reading and listening to them. I am appreciative to have discovered (rediscovered) this poem by Frost when I really wasn’t looking for it. I love when that happens.
I may have miles to go, but for now I believe I’ll go ahead and sleep.
