Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"After Apple-Picking" is a poem by Robert Frost that explores the themes of mortality, nature, and the passage of time. The poem was first published in 1914.

The poem is structured in 42 lines of varying length and is written in iambic pentameter. The poem's language and imagery evoke a sense of weariness and introspection, as the speaker reflects on his experience of picking apples and the memories and emotions that it evokes.

The poem begins with the speaker describing the experience of picking apples, using sensory imagery to evoke the sights, sounds, and smells of the harvest season. However, the speaker's attention soon turns inward, and he reflects on the passing of time and his own mortality.

Throughout the poem, the speaker's thoughts and emotions become increasingly fragmented and dreamlike, suggesting a sense of weariness and confusion. The speaker's experiences of sleep and dreaming are also explored, with the apple-picking experience and his dreams merging together in his mind.

The poem's emotional climax comes in the final lines, when the speaker reflects on his own mortality and the uncertain nature of life. The poem ends with the iconic lines, "For I have had too much / Of apple-picking: I am overtired / Of the great harvest I myself desired."

Overall, "After Apple-Picking" is a powerful and evocative poem that explores the themes of mortality, nature, and the passage of time. The poem suggests that while the beauty and abundance of nature can be inspiring and life-affirming, they are also a reminder of our own mortality and the fleeting nature of life.

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