CD Lewis
A Hard Frost
Line 1: Poem:
* Frost- symbolises the arrival of winter. It is a thin layer
of ice that forms when the air becomes cold. A frost came in the night and stole my world
* Metaphor: The frost is being compared to a thief And left this changeling for it – a precocious
(negative connotations) Image of spring, too brilliant to be true;
* came in the night – change happened suddenly. This White lilac on the windowpane, each grass-blade
creates an image of a thief who takes whilst the Furred like a catkin, maydrift loading the hedge
occupants are sleeping at night The elms behind the house are elms no longer
* stole my world – Tone – accusatory. He accuses the But blossomers in crystal, stems of the mist
frost of theft as it has stolen the expected scene and That hangs yet in the valley below, amorphous
replaced it with a fake. The frost is given magical, As the blind tissue whence creation formed.
mystical powers in its ability to accomplish this The sun looks out, and the fields blaze with
transformation. He has been robbed of something that diamonds.
he cherished, something that was valuable (my world). Mockery spring, to lend this bridal gear
* my world – emphasises that he was having difficulty For a few hours to a raw country maid,
adjusting to the change. His “world” has been Then leave her all disconsolate with old fairings
transformed or “stolen” by the frost and is no longer Of aconite and snowdrop! No, not here
the same. Amid this flounce and filigree of death
Lines 2 – 3: Is the real transformation scene in progress
But deep below where frost
* He comments on how the world’s appearance has Worrying the stiff clods unclenches their
been radically altered by the layer of frost, and in such Grip on the seed and lets our future breath.
a way that suddenly the surroundings seem almost
spring-like. The glittering and sparkling of the reflected
frost creates a bright image but, as the speaker admits, * too brilliant to be true –the ice has covered
this is ‘too brilliant to be true’ (line 3). everything and the light of the sun makes it sparkle.
* changeling – something secretly exchanged for Despite the glittering beauty, the speaker points out
something else/ A baby that is secretly left that this appearance is deceiving. He elaborates on
* to replace another baby. the deception in the next few lines. Highlights
impossibility of what he sees in front of him to
* Tone – dissatisfaction.
actually be the same images as those you would see
* precocious – developed pre-maturely. A child that has
in spring – “too brilliant” indicates that they are too
certain attributes of an adult at a very early age
beautiful and the frost has an almost magical ability
* Image of spring –the day is sunny and bright and looks to transform the landscape to look like something
like it may be spring. that it is not.
* (consumption). Felix died as a result of a combination
of these.
* fleshed there, all contended – The personification of
his illness fighting over the physical body of the poor
man, like ravenous animals, gives a vivid picture of the
process that destroyed him.
,Lines 4 – 5: Lines 10 – 14:
* The sun looks out – personification – sunrise is
* The imagery suggests spring flowers and the compared to a person
freshness of new growth. This is a false image of
* the fields blaze with diamonds – metaphor the droplets
spring because it is winter.
of water, that form as the frost melts, reflect the light
* white lilac on the window -pane – An extended of the sun. This is compared to the way a diamond
metaphor is used to compare the ice patterns on the reflects light. The reflection of the sun on the ice looks
windows to white lilacs (type of flower). Lilacs are like a field of sparkling diamonds.
frequently herald the arrival of spring. White lilacs
* blaze – figurative - emphasises intensity of the bright
represent youthful innocence.
light of the reflected sun.
* … each grass-blade/Furred like a catkin – Simile – the
* Mockery spring – the reflected light creates a false
frost-covered grass is compared to catkins, a long,
sense of spring. He regards this as a an absurd
thin cluster of tiny, petal-less flowers growing on
imitation because nothing grows in winter.
oaks, poplars, and other trees. This emphasises that
everything was covered by the frost, including every
* bridal gear . . .country maid – Metaphor – compares
the way the ice beautifies the country to a wedding
blade of grass.
dress that is being lent to a country maid for a few
* maydrift – another flower associated with spring.
hours. The frost is “new clothing” for the fields and it
* Emphasises the appearance vs reality of things (looks makes the plain country look like a newly adorned
can be deceiving) – there is no way that there can bride for a while until it melts.
really be anything close to the weather of spring
* Then leave her all disconsolate with old fairings – The
during winter and therefore the “image of spring” is
metaphor is continued. She will be left terribly sad
fake.
when she has to return the bridal dress and resume
Lines 6 – 9: her usual, boring appearance.
* raw – she is not very good looking/plain
* are elms no longer – even the elm trees are * aconite - Flower similar to a buttercup.
different. This emphasises the extent of the
transformation. They look totally different.
* The contrast of aconite (a beautiful but poisonous
flower, similar to a buttercup) to snowdrop (drooping
* blossomers in crystal – metaphor – the frost on white flower) emphasises the transformation that has
the elm trees look like flowers made out of ice. taken place.
* stems of the mist/ That hangs yet in the valley below * The metaphor comparing the white frost blanket to a
– Double deception: the elm trees look like stems of wedding dress (line 11-13) contains quite a
a flower growing out of the mist. Mist is also disapproving tone. The wedding dress is being lent to
associated with early spring. a country maid for a few hours, but she will be left
terribly sad when she has to return it and resume her
* the mist/That hangs yet in the valley below –
usual, boring appearance
there is no mist except in the valley. All other
traces of it have disappeared.
* amorphous - without a specific form, like the mist
Lines 14 – 15:
* No, not here – Introduces a change. Double negatives
* amorphous/As the blind tissue whence creation (No, not) emphasises the change in the point of view
formed. – Simile – the mist is compared to how of the speaker.
life is created. The trees in the valley below have * flounce – an exaggerated action intended to express
no shape (“amorphous”) due to the mist that is annoyance or impatience
present. The landscape looks as shapeless as it * filigree – ornamental work of fine (typically gold or
did when “creation” began. silver). This is an apt description of the frost as it
* Once again the frost is creating a deceptive image – melts.
flowers/trees do not “bloom[]” in winter during a * Amid this flounce and filigree of death – Winter is
frost. associated with death, a sense of cruelty and
harshness. The poet is emphasising that the frost
was exaggerated and ornamental. It was more for
show than of real substance as it melted when the
sun rose. All the beauty and ornamentation of the
ice, frost and snow is really meaningless.
,Lines 16 – 20:
* The real change is not the frost that is melting
above the ground. Rather, it is below the
ground.
* where frost . . . the future breathe – as the frost
melts, the water loosens the soil and the seeds.
* The personification creates an image of a contest
of strength taking place beneath the ground
where the earth is surrendering its frozen hold to
the power of spring. This allows the seeds the
chance to sprout, grow and break out of the soil
to promise future life and growth. The real “work”
of regeneration and procreation is happening
under the frost and soil in the ground as the
seedlings prepare for the summer.
, Summary:
• This poem is describing the beautiful scene the poet saw one day he woke up in winter morning – the
appearance of hard frost that had formed overnight and the changed appearance of the world.The
most prominent imagery used is the frost and snow, likening them to brilliant white diamonds, which
shine and reflect in the sunlight. These are used to portray a beautiful scene of white snow spreading
all over the forest.
• Usually the forest in Winter gave people a sense of cruelty, harshness and lifeless, but after having a
white frost coating on the dead trees, mountains, everything seemed to become glamorous and
attractiveBesides portraying the stunning scenery, the poet also relates the transformation in nature to
human life cycle which lies beneath the cold and snow.
• The poem is structured into two stanzas – the first describes the scene and the second reveals
the speaker’s views about this description.
Theme:
• The power of nature / The cycle of life – the transformation from death to life that takes place with
the arrival of spring.
• The transient beauty of the countryside after the frost at night / the brilliance of the beauty of the
scene transformed by frost.
• Throughout the poem, besides portraying how beautiful the hard frost coating on the forest was, the
poet also wanted to show us that after Winter, seeds will grow and life is restored. Applied it to humans:
illnesses and deaths caused unhappiness, but after these hard times, there will be new hope and joy.
Tone:
• accusatory • admiration • admonition
• pity
The Title:
• hard – suggests that the frost was cold-hearted, merciless.
Form and structure:
• The poet arranges his content into two stanzas, of similar length. He does not use traditional rhyme
scheme, and the line and stanza arrangement is set up to support the content. The first stanza
describes the scene, while the second stanza comments on it and exposes the ‘truth’ of the first.
•
A Hard Frost
Line 1: Poem:
* Frost- symbolises the arrival of winter. It is a thin layer
of ice that forms when the air becomes cold. A frost came in the night and stole my world
* Metaphor: The frost is being compared to a thief And left this changeling for it – a precocious
(negative connotations) Image of spring, too brilliant to be true;
* came in the night – change happened suddenly. This White lilac on the windowpane, each grass-blade
creates an image of a thief who takes whilst the Furred like a catkin, maydrift loading the hedge
occupants are sleeping at night The elms behind the house are elms no longer
* stole my world – Tone – accusatory. He accuses the But blossomers in crystal, stems of the mist
frost of theft as it has stolen the expected scene and That hangs yet in the valley below, amorphous
replaced it with a fake. The frost is given magical, As the blind tissue whence creation formed.
mystical powers in its ability to accomplish this The sun looks out, and the fields blaze with
transformation. He has been robbed of something that diamonds.
he cherished, something that was valuable (my world). Mockery spring, to lend this bridal gear
* my world – emphasises that he was having difficulty For a few hours to a raw country maid,
adjusting to the change. His “world” has been Then leave her all disconsolate with old fairings
transformed or “stolen” by the frost and is no longer Of aconite and snowdrop! No, not here
the same. Amid this flounce and filigree of death
Lines 2 – 3: Is the real transformation scene in progress
But deep below where frost
* He comments on how the world’s appearance has Worrying the stiff clods unclenches their
been radically altered by the layer of frost, and in such Grip on the seed and lets our future breath.
a way that suddenly the surroundings seem almost
spring-like. The glittering and sparkling of the reflected
frost creates a bright image but, as the speaker admits, * too brilliant to be true –the ice has covered
this is ‘too brilliant to be true’ (line 3). everything and the light of the sun makes it sparkle.
* changeling – something secretly exchanged for Despite the glittering beauty, the speaker points out
something else/ A baby that is secretly left that this appearance is deceiving. He elaborates on
* to replace another baby. the deception in the next few lines. Highlights
impossibility of what he sees in front of him to
* Tone – dissatisfaction.
actually be the same images as those you would see
* precocious – developed pre-maturely. A child that has
in spring – “too brilliant” indicates that they are too
certain attributes of an adult at a very early age
beautiful and the frost has an almost magical ability
* Image of spring –the day is sunny and bright and looks to transform the landscape to look like something
like it may be spring. that it is not.
* (consumption). Felix died as a result of a combination
of these.
* fleshed there, all contended – The personification of
his illness fighting over the physical body of the poor
man, like ravenous animals, gives a vivid picture of the
process that destroyed him.
,Lines 4 – 5: Lines 10 – 14:
* The sun looks out – personification – sunrise is
* The imagery suggests spring flowers and the compared to a person
freshness of new growth. This is a false image of
* the fields blaze with diamonds – metaphor the droplets
spring because it is winter.
of water, that form as the frost melts, reflect the light
* white lilac on the window -pane – An extended of the sun. This is compared to the way a diamond
metaphor is used to compare the ice patterns on the reflects light. The reflection of the sun on the ice looks
windows to white lilacs (type of flower). Lilacs are like a field of sparkling diamonds.
frequently herald the arrival of spring. White lilacs
* blaze – figurative - emphasises intensity of the bright
represent youthful innocence.
light of the reflected sun.
* … each grass-blade/Furred like a catkin – Simile – the
* Mockery spring – the reflected light creates a false
frost-covered grass is compared to catkins, a long,
sense of spring. He regards this as a an absurd
thin cluster of tiny, petal-less flowers growing on
imitation because nothing grows in winter.
oaks, poplars, and other trees. This emphasises that
everything was covered by the frost, including every
* bridal gear . . .country maid – Metaphor – compares
the way the ice beautifies the country to a wedding
blade of grass.
dress that is being lent to a country maid for a few
* maydrift – another flower associated with spring.
hours. The frost is “new clothing” for the fields and it
* Emphasises the appearance vs reality of things (looks makes the plain country look like a newly adorned
can be deceiving) – there is no way that there can bride for a while until it melts.
really be anything close to the weather of spring
* Then leave her all disconsolate with old fairings – The
during winter and therefore the “image of spring” is
metaphor is continued. She will be left terribly sad
fake.
when she has to return the bridal dress and resume
Lines 6 – 9: her usual, boring appearance.
* raw – she is not very good looking/plain
* are elms no longer – even the elm trees are * aconite - Flower similar to a buttercup.
different. This emphasises the extent of the
transformation. They look totally different.
* The contrast of aconite (a beautiful but poisonous
flower, similar to a buttercup) to snowdrop (drooping
* blossomers in crystal – metaphor – the frost on white flower) emphasises the transformation that has
the elm trees look like flowers made out of ice. taken place.
* stems of the mist/ That hangs yet in the valley below * The metaphor comparing the white frost blanket to a
– Double deception: the elm trees look like stems of wedding dress (line 11-13) contains quite a
a flower growing out of the mist. Mist is also disapproving tone. The wedding dress is being lent to
associated with early spring. a country maid for a few hours, but she will be left
terribly sad when she has to return it and resume her
* the mist/That hangs yet in the valley below –
usual, boring appearance
there is no mist except in the valley. All other
traces of it have disappeared.
* amorphous - without a specific form, like the mist
Lines 14 – 15:
* No, not here – Introduces a change. Double negatives
* amorphous/As the blind tissue whence creation (No, not) emphasises the change in the point of view
formed. – Simile – the mist is compared to how of the speaker.
life is created. The trees in the valley below have * flounce – an exaggerated action intended to express
no shape (“amorphous”) due to the mist that is annoyance or impatience
present. The landscape looks as shapeless as it * filigree – ornamental work of fine (typically gold or
did when “creation” began. silver). This is an apt description of the frost as it
* Once again the frost is creating a deceptive image – melts.
flowers/trees do not “bloom[]” in winter during a * Amid this flounce and filigree of death – Winter is
frost. associated with death, a sense of cruelty and
harshness. The poet is emphasising that the frost
was exaggerated and ornamental. It was more for
show than of real substance as it melted when the
sun rose. All the beauty and ornamentation of the
ice, frost and snow is really meaningless.
,Lines 16 – 20:
* The real change is not the frost that is melting
above the ground. Rather, it is below the
ground.
* where frost . . . the future breathe – as the frost
melts, the water loosens the soil and the seeds.
* The personification creates an image of a contest
of strength taking place beneath the ground
where the earth is surrendering its frozen hold to
the power of spring. This allows the seeds the
chance to sprout, grow and break out of the soil
to promise future life and growth. The real “work”
of regeneration and procreation is happening
under the frost and soil in the ground as the
seedlings prepare for the summer.
, Summary:
• This poem is describing the beautiful scene the poet saw one day he woke up in winter morning – the
appearance of hard frost that had formed overnight and the changed appearance of the world.The
most prominent imagery used is the frost and snow, likening them to brilliant white diamonds, which
shine and reflect in the sunlight. These are used to portray a beautiful scene of white snow spreading
all over the forest.
• Usually the forest in Winter gave people a sense of cruelty, harshness and lifeless, but after having a
white frost coating on the dead trees, mountains, everything seemed to become glamorous and
attractiveBesides portraying the stunning scenery, the poet also relates the transformation in nature to
human life cycle which lies beneath the cold and snow.
• The poem is structured into two stanzas – the first describes the scene and the second reveals
the speaker’s views about this description.
Theme:
• The power of nature / The cycle of life – the transformation from death to life that takes place with
the arrival of spring.
• The transient beauty of the countryside after the frost at night / the brilliance of the beauty of the
scene transformed by frost.
• Throughout the poem, besides portraying how beautiful the hard frost coating on the forest was, the
poet also wanted to show us that after Winter, seeds will grow and life is restored. Applied it to humans:
illnesses and deaths caused unhappiness, but after these hard times, there will be new hope and joy.
Tone:
• accusatory • admiration • admonition
• pity
The Title:
• hard – suggests that the frost was cold-hearted, merciless.
Form and structure:
• The poet arranges his content into two stanzas, of similar length. He does not use traditional rhyme
scheme, and the line and stanza arrangement is set up to support the content. The first stanza
describes the scene, while the second stanza comments on it and exposes the ‘truth’ of the first.
•
