On Looking Up by Chance at the Constellations

Robert Frost 1874 (San Francisco) – 1963 (Boston)



You'll wait a long, long time for anything much
To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud
And the Northern Lights that run like tingling nerves.
The sun and moon get crossed, but they never touch,
Nor strike out fire from each other nor crash out loud.
The planets seem to interfere in their curves -
But nothing ever happens, no harm is done.
We may as well go patiently on with our life,
And look elsewhere than to stars and moon and sun
For the shocks and changes we need to keep us sane.
It is true the longest drout will end in rain,
The longest peace in China will end in strife.
Still it wouldn't reward the watcher to stay awake
In hopes of seeing the calm of heaven break
On his particular time and personal sight.
That calm seems certainly safe to last to-night.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 26, 2023

45 sec read
231

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABCABCDEDFFEGGHH
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 785
Words 150
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 16

Robert Frost

Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in America. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. more…

All Robert Frost poems | Robert Frost Books

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    Who wrote the poem "The Road Not Taken"?
    A Langston Hughes
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