In a Vale by Robert Frost (1943)
The poem explores the theme of isolation and loneliness through the speaker's journey to a valley where he encounters a frozen pond. The speaker reflects on his life choices and the consequences of his actions, symbolized by the frozen landscape. The poem suggests that the speaker has been living in a state of emotional numbness, unable to connect with others or find meaning in his life.
By Robert Frost · First published 1943 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Pastoral · 270 words
First lines
When I was young, we dwelt in a vale / By a misty fen that rang all night, / And thus it was the maidens pale / I knew so well, whose garments trail / Across the reeds to a window light.
The fen had every kind of bloom, / And for every kind there was a face, / And a voice that has sounded in my room / Across the sill from the outer gloom.
Each came singly unto her place, / But all came every night with the mist; / And often they brought so much to say / Of things of moment to which, they wist, / One so lonely was fain to list, / That the stars were almost faded away / Before the last went, heavy with dew, / Back to the place from which she came-
What this Textopian page supports
In a Vale is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Frost, dated 1943 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Frost
- Date: 1943 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric, Pastoral, Romantic, Mystical
- Length: 270 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for In a Vale by Robert Frost
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- Aspiration by Madison Cawein
- Gods World by Edna St Vincent Millay
- The Lonely Land by Madison Cawein
- Meeting And Passing by Robert Frost
- The Shelter by Emily Dickinson
- At The Lanes End by Madison Cawein
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a rhythmic and lyrical quality, characteristic of poetry.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and reflections, typical of the lyric genre.
- Pastoral — The setting and imagery focus on nature and rural life, aligning with pastoral themes.
- Romantic — The emphasis on emotion, nature, and individual experience reflects Romantic literary themes.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Mortality · Existentialism · Philosophy · Symbolism · Imagery · Metaphor · Allegory · Realism · Romanticism · Solitude