Frost wrote "In Hardwood Groves"" and "Home Burial" at different stages in his poetic career. The structural differences are clear, the two poems differ in length, layout and most evidently the ease with which they can be read. Although they are so different in appearance, both poems have the similar theme of death; one of several re-occurring subjects that Frost used in much of his poetry.

"In Hardwood Groves" was published in Frost's first book of poetry; this book contained many poems with typical forms of the time; with regular rhyme and rhythm. It was poems such as this one that threw Frost into the limelight and with his book, "A Boy's Will", he became a recognised poet.

"In Hardwood Groves" is written using fairly simple language, the ideas behind the poem are expressed plainly with not much fancy decoration. The language used is forceful, for example; 'they must go down'. This is a major contrast to the tranquillity of nature, but Frost goes on to show that the positive outcome of the leaves dying is the new life of the 'dancing flowers'. The message behind the poem is that death must occur to allow new life to be born. The rhymes within the poem s

how that the poem is under control, this is metaphorical as it shows that the cycle of life and the seasons are also structured and under control.

After the publication of "A Boy's Will" Frost's style changed dramatically, although the intense emotions that he had expressed in his earlier work still remained. For example, "In Hardwood Groves" is short and compact, the form is structured and the language simple, yet at the same time the simplicity makes the reader pay attention and read deeper than the surface. The concentrated emotions within it allow it to be interpreted in many ways, which makes it very symbolic of Frost's true emotions. In "Home Burial" the emotions are expressed in a number of ways but mainly through a combination of imagery and language. Taking the first stanza as an example, the language is very negative and wary, Amy keeps 'looking over her shoulder' and taking 'doubtful step(s)' this in turn shows her as being very melancholy, the deep emotions begin to be released after the phrase 'she challenged'. Within the poem Frost reveals many of his own emotions, there is a lot of frustration, hostility and uncertainty; all of the things he himself would have felt around the time of his son's death.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1125
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)