North of Boston (1914) is a collection of poems by American poet
Robert Frost. Following the success of Frost's debut, A Boy's Will
(1913), North of Boston was published in London to enthusiastic
reviews from both Ezra Pound and W.B. Yeats. His success abroad quickly
translated to critical acclaim in the United States, and Frost would
eventually be recognized as a leading American poet.
"Mending Wall" takes place in spring, as the people emerge from their
homes to assess the damage done by the long, dark winter. Observing that
parts of the stone wall on the edge of his property have fallen, the
poet joins his neighbor "to walk the line / And set the wall between us
once again." Although he feels they "do not need the wall," his neighbor
insists that "'Good fences make good neighbours, '" continuing down the
line to reinforce the space between them. A meditation on humanity,
civilization, and democracy, "Mending Wall" is an iconic and frequently
anthologized poem. In "After Apple-Picking," as fall gives over to
winter, the poet remembers in dreams how the "Magnified apples appear
and disappear, / Stem end and blossom end" as he climbs the ladder into
the heart of the tree. Both a symbol for life and a metaphor for the
poetic act, apple picking leaves the poet "overtired / Of the great
harvest [he himself] desired", awaiting sleep as he describes "its
coming on," wondering what, if anything, it will bring.
With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript,
this edition of Robert Frost's North of Boston is a classic of
American literature reimagined for modern readers.
