SOURCE: Ogilvie, John T. “From Woods to Stars: A Pattern of Imagery in Robert Frost's Poetry.” South Atlantic Quarterly 58, (winter 1959): 64-76.

In the following essay, Ogilvie discusses the recurring image of the dark woods in Frost's poetry.

Leaves are all my darker mood 

I

Together with “Birches,” “Mending Wall,” “The Road Not Taken,” “After Apple-Picking,” and a dozen or so other familiar descriptive pieces, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” is one of Robert Frost's most admired poems. The beginning poetry student in particular is likely to take to it, for quite understandable reasons: its diction is unpretentious and subtly musical; it presents an engaging picture and hints at a “story” without too much taxing the imagination; it is short and seemingly unambiguous. And the teacher, from his side, likewise welcomes the opportunity to present a poem that can be enjoyed purely for its visual and verbal...