The Woods are Still Lovely

The poet must have never imagined that the last four lines of his poem will become such a spectacular success. It must have never occurred to him that the lines will enter the hearts and minds of people all over the world in such a powerful and passionate manner. Which are those lines? Who is the poet? The poet is none other than Robert Frost, and those lovely lines are rhythmically dancing below:

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.
Quite significantly, these were the most favourite lines of Jawaharlal Nehru and they found a prominent place on his study table, written in his own handwriting. Indeed, the lines have captured the imagination of not only the lovers of poetry, but the general public as well. That is the power and beauty of great poetry. It touches people of all sections. Its universal appeal cuts across all man made divisions.

Needless to mention, the lines under consideration are highly motivating and deeply moving. They shake off lethargy, jolt us out of our comfort zone and ultimately lead to action. The simplicity and sensitivity of these profoundly meaningful lines cast an irresistible spell on us.

The world, the poet says, is immensely attractive and infinitely charming. But a responsible person should not blindly yield to those attractions and diversions. The path before each person is long and arduous. Before the final sleep, death, there is much to accomplish. In order to fulfil our promises, we have to act with diligence and devotion.

Indeed, the birth of the poem owes to the poet’s curiosity and enduring bonds with nature. It all happened on a winter evening. Robert Frost, the poet, went for a horse-ride through the country side. All of a sudden, he saw those lovely woods near a frozen lake.

Whose woods are these? He asked with a sense of wonder and passionate curiosity. In all likelihood, they belonged to his friend who stayed far away. But that does not really matter. What matters is his ability and willingness to enjoy the breath-taking beauty of the place. Without a grain of doubt, it is not the mere ownership of property that enriches a person, it is his or her mental richness and emotional responsiveness that add value to life.

But the horse was a little surprised. Why did the master stop at such a lonely place without a farmhouse nearby? But the poet had to stop because he simply couldn’t resist the magnetic pull of nature.

The result of that stopping was this poem titled “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, a milestone on the path of creativity. Robert Frost slipped into his final sleep on 29 January, 1963, never to wake up to have one more look at the woods. But the poem continues to delight and energise readers everywhere with its simple beauty and inspiring message. It is still a hot favourite of children as well as grown-ups. After all, who does not like the idea of stopping by woods on a snowy evening?

True, we all have to go miles and miles before that final sleep and exit. But we need to give a few breaks in between and the lush green woods by the way side offer great many wonderful things and new possibilities. Such stoppings are necessary to humanize and sensitise us and to combat the wanton destruction of the precious natural resources. The woods are still lovely.......