Birches by Robert Frost

A detailed Summary of Birches by Robert Frost

In the poem "Birches", Robert frost takes an image of a birch tree whose branches have been worn from the winter, and transforms the literal image into a deeper poem about escaping from the ground and the earth into a safe haven up in the branches, being able to swing freely and return to reality when you please.

Frost uses symbolism in almost every line of the poem, relating the literal to the imagination. "Soon the sun's warmth makes them shed crystal shells, shattering and avalanching on the snow crust--- such heaps of broken glass to sweep away, you'd think the inner dome of heaven had fallen." This line is a perfect example of his form of writing. He compares the ice melting off of the branches they cover because of the snow, to the illusion that the inner dome of heaven had fallen to the earth like pieces of broken glass to be swept away. Frost brings in the image of a small boy using the tree as his only playmate. He describes how the boy explores every part of the tree, leaving no branch untouched.

"Earths the right place for love: I don't know where it's likely to go better." This line merely ties the poem back to earth, back to reality. Frost spends almost the whole poem describing an upward climb: escaping to happiness by climbing branches. The line simply brings the poem in a downward, but level direction. Even though he wishes he could escape forever, he knows he belongs on earth. He knows that it is where he is meant to be, but even though he knows his place in life, he still yearns to climb the tree until the branches can longer hold him and send him to earth again. The pressures of life continue to get to him and he continues to feel the need to escape.

This poem shows the emotional changes of a guy from the stages of being a small boy to growing into a man, and how the imagination fades and reality begins to sink in and take over. His imagery and diction make this an easily interpreted piece.

The branches never break or weaken. They stay strong through all of the trials he puts them

Some common words found in the essay are:
Birches Robert, heaven fallen, inner dome heaven, dome heaven fallen, , dome heaven, inner dome, safe haven, broken glass, tree branches,

Approximate Word count = 682
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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Birches by Robert Frost

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