"Mowing" (1913) by Robert Frost

Summary:

As the narrator works in the field on a hot day, he notices that his scythe seems to be
whispering as it works. The narrator is unable to hear what the scythe is saying, and he admits
the possibility that the whispering sound is simply his imagination or even the result of
heatstroke. He eventually concludes that the scythe is expressing its own beliefs about the
world. Instead of dreaming about inactivity or reward for its labor as a person would, the scythe
takes its sole pleasure from its hard work. It receives satisfaction from “the fact” of its earnest
(important) labor in the field, not from transient (temporary) dreams or irrational (illogical)
hopes. As the poem ends, the narrator ceases(halt/stop)his own unimportant musings and
follows the scythe’s example: seizing on the pleasure of hard work and making hay.

Critical Appreciation

The poem "Mowing" by Robert Frost conveys a message about the value of honest labor and
the satisfaction derived from hard work. Figures of speech in the poem include personification,
metaphor, symbolism, and hyperbole. The rhyming scheme of the poem is
ABABCCDDEFEFGG.The poem "Mowing" by Robert Frost conveys a message about the value of
honest labor and the satisfaction derived from hard work. The speaker finds contentment in the
simplicity of mowing the grass with a scythe, appreciating the connection to nature and the
genuine effort put into the task.

Figures of speech in the poem include:

1. Personification: The scythe is personified as it "whispers" to the ground.

2. Metaphor: The lack of sound is compared to the heat of the sun, suggesting a quiet, peaceful
atmosphere.

3. Symbolism: The swale, flowers, and snake symbolize the beauty and challenges of nature, as
well as the rewards of labor.

4. Hyperbole: The speaker exaggerates by saying that anything more than the truth would have
seemed too weak, emphasizing the importance of genuine effort.

The rhyming scheme of the poem is ABABCCDDEFEFGG

The speaker is lost in thought, reflecting on the nature of work and life. The speaker finds
solace in the quiet, methodical (arranged) act of mowing.Frost explores themes of existence,
purpose, and the human condition.The poem's calm tone evokes a sense of stillness, mirroring
the quiet surroundings. The speaker seems to be longing for something beyond the mundane
task of mowing.Frost's masterful use of language and imagery creates a complex tone that
invites readers to reflect on their own relationship with nature, work, and existence.

Paraphrasing:

Lines (1-8)

There was never a sound beside the wood but one ,

And that was my long scythe whispering to the ground

What was it it whispered? I knew not well myself;

Perhaps it was something about the heat of the sun,

Something, perhaps, about the lack of sound,

And that was why it whispered and did not speak.

It was no dream of the gift of idle hours,

Or easy gold at the hand of fay or elf:

Paraphrasing:

The speaker begins by stating that there is only ever one sound present in the woods. It is the
sound that the speaker’s “long scythe” made as it brushed the ground. Frost personifies the
speaker’s tool, describing the sounds it makes as “whisper[s].” This is a contrast that is
immediately noteworthy.The speaker wonders why it is so quiet in the middle of a summer day.
The silence is as mysterious to the speaker as the sounds that seemed to come from his scythe.
He believes he only took note of the “whispering” because it was so quiet. Then comes to the
conclusion that the scythe had to whisper because it was so silent. Otherwise, if there was a lot
of noise around, it couldn't “speak.” Additionally, he says that they are not “easy gold” sent to
him from the hands of an “elf.” It is not always an enjoyable process but he appreciates the
hard work it takes
Lines (9-14)

Anything more than the truth would have seemed too weak

To the earnest love that laid the swale in rows,

Not without feeble-pointed spikes of flowers

(Pale orchises), and scared a bright green snake.

The fact is the sweetest dream that labour knows.

My long scythe whispered and left the hay to make .

Paraphrasing:

In the ninth line, the speaker continues to flush out the situation. He is determined not to give
into fanciful delusions about the world. The speaker feels that it would have diminished the
world to dress it up in fake, magical pretense. Instead, the would like the reader to focus on the
highs and lows of work, as well as the beauty and horror that lay in wait in life. These are seen
through the “Pale orchises” and the “bright green snake.” There are always going to be troubles
in life, and many of those will come as one is aspiring to work hard and trying to make
something of their days. This should not put one-off. The final line makes clear that the scythe is
speaking. Frost’s speaker has come to a conclusion about what the scythe would say if it spoke,
which he doesn’t really think it did. It would say, "The fact is the sweetest dream that labor
knows". This is a complicated way of saying that truth is important in labor. One should know
what they’re working for and why they are working, and that’s it. There’s no need to complicate
it further. He concludes with a simple description of his scythe and the work it is engaged in. He
feels admiration for the straightforward intentions of the tool