Putting in the Seed by Robert Frost
The poem explores the idea of a farmer planting seeds and waiting for them to grow, but also considering the possibility that they may not sprout. It touches on themes of hope, uncertainty, and the cycle of life. The speaker reflects on the potential outcomes of their actions, weighing the possibilities of success or failure.
By Robert Frost · First published 1942 · Genre: Poetry, Pastoral, Romantic · 160 words
First lines
You come to fetch me from my work to-night / When supper's on the table, and we'll see / If I can leave off burying the white / Soft petals fallen from the apple tree.
(Soft petals, yes, but not so barren quite, / Mingled with these, smooth bean and wrinkled pea; )
And go along with you ere you lose sight / Of what you came for and become like me, / Slave to a springtime passion for the earth.
How Love burns through the Putting in the Seed / On through the watching for that early birth / When, just as the soil tarnishes with weed, / The sturdy seedling with arched body comes / Shouldering its way and shedding the earth crumbs.
What this Textopian page supports
Putting in the Seed is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Frost, dated 1942 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: 1942 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Pastoral, Romantic, Symbolism
- Length: 160 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for Putting in the Seed by Robert Frost
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, utilizing rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Pastoral — The themes revolve around nature, agriculture, and the cycle of life, typical of pastoral literature.
- Romantic — The poem explores themes of love and passion, particularly in connection with nature.
- Symbolism — The use of seeds and planting as metaphors for growth and potential aligns with symbolic literature.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Agriculture · Seasonal Change · Rural Life · Farming · Gardening · Hope · Renewal · Cycles of Life · Existentialism · Philosophy