America's Favorite Poet - Robert Frost

As America prepares to inaugurate a new president this month, it is good to remember some of our poetic history as well. In the 1960's, before his death, Robert Frost became the first poet to create and recite an inaugural poem when he wrote for John F. Kennedy's inauguration. He is pictured above sitting to the right of Jackie Kennedy. This year, at Barack Obama's inauguration, poet Elizabeth Alexander will follow in this grand tradition Frost established and read her work. Born in 1962, Ms. Alexander would have been one year old when Frost died. Because of the legacy Frost left us, poetry lives on and continues to thrive in each generation and transfer of power that has followed.

Robert Frost is one of the most honored poets America has ever produced, and from the presentations we have heard in class, he was also one of the most complex. He was a man who was often misunderstood and his works have multiple meanings, yet he stands as a great writer with a singular voice who is worthy of study by all serious scholars of literature. Although his works appear to be deceptively simple, further study often reveals layers of meaning and craftmanship that can make any IB oral commentary a work of art as well. You will be finding these layers the more you study, and hopefully, you will discover some truth that will resonate for you as well. To help you, I offer a few links below. The true IB students will find some great helps in these sites that will aid you as you prepare for your Individual Oral Commentaries.

Friends of Robert Frost -- This website features a wealth of information for you. There are others, but this one will be a great starting place. Here you will find a project that has produced a rare breed of apple to commemorate Frost's love for apple trees which inspired "After Apple Picking" and "Goodby and Keep Cold." For those of you who have trouble locating his themes and literary devices, one portion of the website is designed to help students studying Frost.

If you search deep enough, you will even be able to hear recordings of Frost reading his poetry to you. Although we cannot bring this great writer back to life, it is my hope he will still speak to some of us very personally in this study.